Avian flu: Zim forced to cull up to 2 million chickens
ZIMBABWE will cull as many as 2 million chickens as it battles to contain an outbreak of avian influenza first reported at a large farm early this month.
The outbreak has seen South Africa, Mozambique and Botswana ban imports of poultry products and feeds from Harare.
Zimbabwe this week said the outbreak was under control.
“The Department of Agriculture has advised that over 2 million chickens will be culled to make sure that this virus is stemmed out,” said Zimbabwe’s Health Minister, David Parirenyatwa.
David Irvine, the chief executive of Irvine’s, where the outbreak was first detected, said this week that the company was undertaking measures such as biosecurity beef-ups to curb the spread.
Irvine said the company was likely to lose a lot of income from destroyed birds in an industry that was beginning to grow.
“We are seeking approval about importing eggs.
“If the approval is secured, we may start importing eggs from next week,” Irvine said.
South Africa said it was closely monitoring the situation and advised poultry farmers in Limpopo, close to the border with Zimbabwe, to be on high alert.
The South African Poultry Association said it was concerned that the outbreak could spread to neighbouring countries if not contained.
The SA Department Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ veterinary services said it had enhanced “inspections of all consignments, including all private and public vehicles, at all our ports of entry”, especially in and out of Zimbabwe.
The department has also called for producers to report mortality cases of chickens or other birds to the state veterinary services “immediately for samples to be collected”.
It also advised commercial poultry producers to “increase their biosecurity measures on farms, including limiting access to people who might have had contact with birds and chickens” from outside farms.