Here's a headline Retiring Guy has never seen before

 

Illustration and headline:  WATT Poultry, 1/21/2026

Roy Graber didn't have any bird flu outbreaks to report on yesterday:

When you have rodents in your poultry barns, the financial costs to your poultry operation could be more significant than you might realize. 

Zac Williams, University of Arkansas (U of A) poultry science extension specialist discussed the problems rodents – particularly rats – can cause, while also offering suggestions on how to assess and control the situation. Williams spoke during the U of A webinar, “Rodent Control as Part of Biosecurity Program,” on January 21. 

Cost of feed waste 

Williams provided an estimate that a single rat will consume about 25 pounds of feed annually. When you multiply that by the number of rats in the barn, the costs could be quite substantial. 

A moderate and common infestation of 200 rats in one barn would mean that the rodents would consume about 2.5 tons of feed per year. At current feed prices of $225 to $250 per ton, that would translate into a $500-$600 loss in direct feed costs. 

However, Williams said you cannot just look at the losses related to feed directly eaten by the rodents. “That’s just feed that they’ve consumed. 

We’re not talking about how much feed they’ve wasted or how much feed they’ve contaminated by just coming into contact with it,” Williams said.

But there's plenty of Roy's coverage of bird flu in this list of previous posts.  (His focus is on U.S. cases.)

   

January 11-20, 2026

11 European counties confirm cases of bird flu in since the start of the year.  (1/20)

Philippines reports 10 case of bird flu in past 10 days.  (1/17)

New York tells resident don't touch those dead birds.  (1/17)

Bird flu outbreaks in Georgia and Minnesota.  (1/15)

Kansas is currently ground zero for bird flu.  (1/13)

Newcastle Disease, another highly contagious viral disease affecting birds, hit 4 flocks in Spain.  (1/12)

Multiple strains of bird flu has scientists worried.  (1/11)

January 1-10, 2026

Two cases of bird flu hit Sampson County North Carolina.  (1/10)

Bird flu infects flock of 380,000 commercial egg-laying hens in Kansas.  (1/9)

Biggest egg producer in United States remains wary of bird flu.  (1/8)

Bird flu strain of avian influenza:  "The picture has grown darker and stranger than most would have imagined".  (1/8)

Bird flu reported on Marthas Vineyard in Massachusetts. (1/8)

Bird flu wipes out generation of Patagonian seals.  (1/8)

Dozens of vultures die of bird flu in North Carolina.  (1/8)

Dog dies of bird flu in Alberta after eating infected snow goose.  (1/7)

Bird flu reported at 3 sites in North Carolina during 1st week of 2026.  (1/7)

Bird flu hits two gamebird flocks in Kansas.  (1/7)

British Columbia reports most cases of bird flu in among Canadian provinces in 2025.  (1/7)

Nearly half of all 2025 bird flu cases in United States occurred in Ohio and Indiana.  (1/7)

Kerala India reports 11 cases of bird flu in December 2025.  (1/6)

Bird flu infects 144,600 commercial laying hens in Nebraska.  (1/3)

Bird flu puts a damper on goose hunting season in Arkansas.  (1/3)

32,800 ducks infected by bird flu in Lancaster County Pennsylvania.  (1/2)

Geese dying to bird flu in South Dakota.  (1/1)

Bird flu continues to wreak havoc in Indiana.  (1/1)

December 16-31, 2025

Bird flu outbreaks continue apace in Europe.  (12/31)

Maryland reports most recent biggest case of bird flu.  (12/31)

12 swans die of bird flu at Orlando's Lake Eola.  (12/30)

Dangerously setting aside the lessons learned from Covid.  (12/30)

Arkansas reports 3rd case of bird flu in 2025, 1st since January.  (12/29)

Hundreds of geese found dead of bird flu in Pennsylvania's Pymatuning Reservoir.  (12/26)

Egg prices on the rise in South Korea due to bird flu outbreaks.  (12/26)

Bird flu outbreak in Japan results in culling of nearly 1,000,000 egg-laying hens.  (12/26)

"A global problem:  Ominous outlook for bird flu in 2026.  (12/25)

Avian flu now encircles Australia.  (12/24)

Ontario reports two new cases of avian flu.  (12/24)

Europe continues to deal with outbreaks of avian flu.  (12/24)

United Kingdom avian flu tally reaches 73 during 2025-26 season.  (12/22)

Recent outbreak of avian flu in Texas affected 260,000 commercial broilers.  (12/18)

Hundreds of snow geese found dead of avian flu at Pennsylvania quarry.  (12/17)

Indiana boosts its 2025 avian flu tally to 66. (12/17)

2025 avian flu tally in Europe:  654 outbreaks in 23 countries.  (12/17)

Texas reports its first case of avian flu since April 2024.  (12/16)

December 1-15, 2025

Minnesota reports 22nd case of avian flu in 2025.  (12/15)

Avian flu detected in Wisconsin dairy herd.  (12/14)

Patterns of avian flu outbreaks in Europe:  From farm to farm then, from wild birds to farms now.  (12/12)

Turkey flocks in North Dakota and South Dakota hit with avian flu.  (12/12)

Indiana boosts its avian flu outbreak tally to 64.  (12/11)

Australia awaits its first case of avian flu.  (12/9)

2025 avian flu tally in Indiana reaches 60.  (12/9)

Japan and South Korea report outbreaks of avian flu.  (12/8)

Avian flu kills more than 70 vultures in Ohio.  (12/7)

Latest avian flu research from Iowa State University.  (12/6)

Michigan DNR sends out an avian flu advisory to waterfowl hunters.  (12/6)

Avian flu kills scores of geese in rural Manitoba Canada.  (12/6)

Canadian province of Alberta deals with worse outbreak of avian flu in years.  (12/6)

Avian flu is a global concern.  (12/5)

Massive outbreak of avian flu in Europe during past week.  (12/3)

North Carolina, Ontario, Indiana, and British Columbia on todays avian flu hit parade. (12/2)

Around the world with avian flu.  (12/1)

Edmunds County South Dakota reports two cases of avian flu in less than a week.  (12/1)

November 15-30, 2025

Avian flu detected in wild birds all over Michigan.  (11/30)

4 Ontario poultry farms hit by avian flu in past 2 weeks.  (11/30)

Indiana-based poultry company uses inflatables to shoo away wild birds.  (11/26)

52 poultry flocks in Indiana infected by avian flu so far in 2025.  (11/25)

Washington State reports 3 more cases of avian flu.  (11/24)

First human death from H5N5 strain of avian flu reported in Washington State.  (11/23)

South Dakota reports 17th case of avian flu in 2025.  (11/23)

North Carolina reports first case of avian flu since January.  (11/21)

Widespread outbreaks of avian flu in Europe.  (11/17)

Avian flu wipeout in LaGrange County Indiana.  (11/17)

Bird flu spreads while Trump fiddles  and Dept of Ag secretary  Brooke Rollins poses with chickens.  (11/16)

November 1-15, 2025

Avian flu devastates herd of elephant seals on sub-Antarctic island.  (11/14)

Ottawa County Michigan reports 2 more cases of avian flu, bringing its 2025 total to 8. (11/14)

Avian flu taking a toll in Germany.  (11/13)

Wild birds are spreading avian flu across the United States.  (11/13)

Monitoring the health of poultry through their water consumption.  (11/12)

Another Michigan turkey flock infected with avian flu.  (11/11)

British Columbia ostrich farm loses appeal, 400 birds infected with avian flu depopulated.  (11/11)

]5 swans die of avian flu in Bristol, England.  (11/11)

Germany reports 66 cases of avian flu since October 1.  (11/10)

Avian flu alert in Missouri.  (11/7)

Two recent cases of avian flu in Ottawa County, Michigan.  (11/7)

Japan reports third confirmed outbreak of avian flu this season.  (11/6)

More turkey flocks infected with avian flu in North Dakota and South Dakota.  (11/5)

That raw cheese you're eating might be infected with bird flu virus.  (11/4)

Avian flu infects turkey flock in Michigan.  (11/4)

Four cases of avian flu hit western Canada.  (11/3)

You're right if you think there's been a lot of birds killed by avian flu during the past 2 months.  (11/1)

October 2025

Avian flu hits duck breeder farm in California. (10/29)

139,000 chickens fall victim to avian flu in Georgia.  (10/28)

Avian flu kills elephant seals on Heard Island south of Australia.  (10/25)

Widespread avian flu infections of wild birds in the United States.  (10/24)

Minnesota boosts its 2025 avian flu tally to 20.  (10/23)

Yet another case of avian flu confirmed in Minnesota, bringing total to 19 so far in 2025.  (10/22)

Indiana reports more cases of avian flu.  (10/21)

Quebec reports 4th case of avian flu in 2025.  (10/17)

Three more Minnesota turkey flocks affected by avian flu, bringing 2025 tally to 18 .  (10/16)

Two cases of avian flu reported in Manitoba on consecutive days.  (10/14)

Multiple reports of avian flu including two flocks in Washington State affecting more than 2,200,000 hens.  (10/13)

Bird flu detected in goose at Gibson Park in Great Falls Montana.  (10/12)

Avian flu threat results in cancellation of WIsconsin poultry show.  (10/11)

Avian flu hits two more turkey flock in Minnesota.  (10/10)

Avian flu hits Michigan turkey flock.  (10/9)

Avian flu hits Iowa turkey flock.  (10/7) 

175,000,000 birds have fallen victim to avian flu in United States since 2022.  (10/6)

Migrating season brings a return of avian flu to Iowa.  (10/3)

Jefferson County Wisconsin reports second case of avian flu in less than a week.  (10/3)

September 2025

That Jefferson County Wisconsin farm lost more than 3 million laying hens.  (9/30)

Avian flu claims an historical first death:  Whooping crane.  (9/29)

Wisconsin reports first 2025 commercial case of avian flu in poultry flock without providing any specifics.  (9/29)

Utah in 4th year of avian flu outbreak. (9/27)

Minnesota reports 55,000 cases of avian flu in 3 turkey flocks.  (9/26)

Expect higher prices for your Thanksgiving turkey this year.  (9/26)

South Dakota continues to be hit hard by avian flu.  (9/21)

Minnesota reports avian flu in flock of tom turkeys.  (9/19)

Nebraska reports its first known case of avian flu in dairy herd.  (9/17)

Canadian Food Inspection Agency reports 4 cases of avian flu in Alberta but otherwise remains mum.  (9/17)

South Dakota reports additional cases of avian flu in turkey flocks.  (9/14)

Must be Kristi Noem's bad karma and her Corey Lewandowski hook-up:  South Dakota is ground zero for avian flu so far this fall.  (9/10)

Avian flu is not going away:  Texas records U.S. case #1079 since January 2024.  (9/9)

April-August 2025

You've heard of avian flu, right?  How about Marek's disease?  (8/7)

Public relations news:  Not a good year so far for chickens and eggs.  (6/13)

.  (4/11)