Researchers at Harris Vaccines in Ames, Iowa said they have developed a vaccine to fight the avian flu, also known as the bird flu.
"We started about three weeks ago and we already have the vaccine prepared. It's going to be evaluated at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory here in Ames, and quite possibly at the Southeast Poultry Research Lab in Georgia," said Dr. Hank Harris, the vaccine creator.
The government still needs to test the vaccine to make sure it is safe. That process could take up to six or eight weeks.
"I would definitely think about using the vaccine," said Ronald Beck, co-owner of PND Poultry Farm in Ophiem, Illinois. "If it protects the chickens and keeps me in business and it was cost-effective, it would definitely be well worth it."
There haven't been any cases of the bird flu reported in Illinois yet, but there have been 52 reported cases in Iowa and the disease has cost the state about 40-percent of its egg-laying flock.
"When you have 300 birds you`re looking at anywhere from $1,900 to $2,100 dollars in replacing all the birds," said Beck. "If we were to get the bird flu it would shut us down for 3 to 4 months and there’s just no possible way that we could ever start over again."