SINTON, Texas — Earlier this week, the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, was detected in Nueces county.
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, it is circulating among wild birds as Fall migration starts.
Some Coastal Bend farmers that breed, raise and sell turkeys have spent years preventing their flocks from contracting bird flu.
R&L Smith Farms' Thanksgiving turkeys have been sold out since June. While co-owners Robin and Loren Smith said they've sold more than 100 turkeys this year, they currently are raising and caring for 17 turkeys and they also have hundreds of other animals they work to keep safe.
"If we happen to get the avian flu or something like that, we would have to cull all of them," Loren said. "Basically, put them down."
The farm, which they've owned in nearby San Patricio County since 2017, hasn't had a case of bird flu, but they said if it did make it to their farm, it would devastate their animals.
"It's so highly contagious that it could pass it on to basically all of our flock," said Loren. "It, it'd be horrible for us."
If there was a sign of bird flu, they would have to get the animal tested and call state officials. If they have it, Loren said they would then be instructed to put down the whole flock.
Smith said for years now there have been preventative measures in place to keep that from happening. They also have a veterinarian come to the farm and do a sanitary check, to ensure all the animals are healthy.
"If we have anything that's, that's possibly sick, we can take it to her, get her tested real quick, and she can tell us what, what we have," Loren said.
Other precautions include cleaning shoe bottoms with bleach and water, requiring the use of hand sanitizer, and minimizing people's contact with the animals.
They also do all they can to keep wild, migratory birds away, and farm operations sanitized.
"All you can do is the best you can," Robin said. "Keep everything clean, keep fresh water and try to keep as much out as you can -- like I said -- but our dogs do a lot keeping the birds away."
Loren also recommends keeping new birds separate from the flock for a couple of weeks to avoid adding a disease they might have.