Bird Flu Scare: Mass Culling Of Poultry Birds Begins In Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: With an aim to curtail the spread of bird flu in the capital city, a special team of veterinarians led by Khurda Chief District Veterinary Officer today began culling of poultry birds following confirmation of Avian Influenza in poultry breeding and research farm of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar.

As many as 798 birds were culled and disposed of, and 1215 eggs, 2350 kg of poultry feed and the litter material were disposed of by two rapid response teams engaged in culling operations at the epicentre of the infection at OUAT.

This apart, five more rapid response teams carried out culling and disposal measures within 1 km radius of the infected site. These live teams culled and disposed of 124 birds, 3416 eggs and 7 kg poultry feed collected from the chicken shops, other establishments and door-step of the backyard poultry farmers within 1 km radius of the infected site.

In total, the seven rapid response teams culled and disposed of 922 birds, 4631 eggs, 2357 kg of poultry feed and other litter material.

The teams disposed of the carcasses and other materials by deep burial method with application of lime and bleaching powder as disinfectants inside the OUAT poultry farm. The area has been disinfected with bleaching powder to check any further contamination, official sources confirmed.

Later, 11 broiler chicks, 45 layer chicks, 859 layer adults and 7 adult ducks were culled and disposed of through deep burial. The owners of the poultry birds were paid compensation of Rs 20 per broiler chick, Rs 70 per broiler adult, Rs 20 per layer chick, Rs 90 per layer adult, Rs 35 per duckling, Rs 135 per adult duck, Rs 3 per egg and Rs 12 per kg of poultry feed.

The culling and disinfection process inside OUAT Poultry farm and within 1 km radius of epicentre will also continue tomorrow. Also, intensive surveillance work will be taken up inside 1-10km radius by the rapid response teams.

Meanwhile, the officials of Chilika Wildlife Division & Balugaon Animal Resources Department collected samples from three species of migratory birds in Nalabana and sent them to High-Security Animal Disease Laboratory at Bhopal to test suspected Avian Influenza.

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