Supply ILT vaccine to farms in Namakkal, say poultry owners
An outbreak of infectious laryngotracheitis inside a farm could kill 1–2% of the chicken population in a single day, which could cause severe losses, say poultry owners
Poultry owners in Namakkal have urged the Department of Animal husbandry and Dairying to supply the ILT vaccine to safeguard chickens against infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT). Ofcials from the department are expected to visit Namakkal in the third week of May regarding this.
Over 1,500 poultry farms function in Namakkal district, producing over six crore eggs per day that are dispatched to parts of Tamil Nadu and beyond. An outbreak of ILT inside a farm could kill 1–2% of the chicken population in a single day, which could cause severe losses for poultry owners. Considering the severity of the threat, poultry owners have urged the Union Animal
Husbandry Department to provide ILT vaccine either by manufacturing on their own or by importing it.
On April 30, Tamil Nadu Poultry Farmers Association (TNPFA) president K. Singaraj and All India Poultry Products Exporters Association (AIPPEA) secretary Valsan Parameswaran,
along with other ofce bearers, met Union Animal Husbandry department secretary Alka Upadhyaya and department commissioner Abhijit Mitra in New Delhi to address the issue. Ocials assured them that they would visit Namakkal to understand the challenges faced by poultry owners.
Mr. Parameswaran said that if the government provided the vaccine, it would safeguard the poultry owners from loss. “Namakkal accounts for 95% of India’s eggs exports, so we have requested the Animal Husbandry Department to provide a state-of-the-art laboratory to certify chicken health.
At present, blood samples of chickens are sent to a lab in Bengaluru for tests every 21 days, causing delays,” he said. Mr. Parameswaran also advocated for prompt compensation in instances of bird ¡u, depending on the price of chicken in the market or based on its weight.
“Likewise, we urge the department to look into certication processes for compartment farms, since egg-importing countries prioritise eggs produced in such facilities,” Mr. Parameswaran added.
An elderly man and his daughter are critically ill after consuming chicken rice bought from a local restaurant. The district administration on Wednesday sealed the restaurant that sold the rice.
The incident occurred on Tuesday night when Bhagavathi (20), resident of Devarayapuram and an engineering student, dined at a hotel operated by Jeevanandam (32) near the Namakkal bus stand. Bhagavathi also purchased chicken rice for his family members, including his mother Nathiya (41) and grandfather Shanmugam (67).
Seven members of the family consumed the chicken rice, after which Nathiya and Shanmugam fell ill and were promptly admitted to the Namakkal Government Hospital, where they remain in critical condition.
In response to the incident, District Collector S. Uma and food safety ocials inspected the restaurant
Following the incident, Namakkal Collector S. Uma and Food Safety ocials inspected the hotel near the bus stand and sealed the shop
near the bus stand on Wednesday and ordered its closure.
As only two family members fell ill after consuming the rice, food safety ocials collected samples for analysis at a laboratory in Salem. The Namakkal police conducted an inquiry with Jeevanandam, the hotel owner, and Bhagavathi regarding the incident.
Food safety ocials emphasized that a conclusive determination regarding the cause of the illness would only be possible after receiving the lab results.
This incident recalls a similar tragedy six months earlier in September 2023 when a 14-year-old girl died after consuming shawarma from a hotel on NamakkalParamathi Road in Namakkal district.