The Nandurbar district administration on Monday culled a record 1,05,305 hens in Navapur after avian influenza or bird flu cases were confirmed in the four poultry farms. Since Sunday a total of 1,37,305 poultry birds were scientifically destroyed in Navapur tehsil after eight samples from 5,000 dead poultry birds from four poultry farms had been sent for testing to the National institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal for avian influenza. All samples had tested positive.
Department of Animal Husbandry Secretary, Anoop Kumar, said on Monday that eight samples from four more poultry farms were sent for testing. “The culling of four lakh poultry birds will be done from the infected zone,” he added.
There are about 27 layer poultry farms in Navapur tehsil of which about 12 farms are within the infected zone. Navapur was the epicentre of the bird flu outbreak in 2006.
Meanwhile, a total of 6,126 birds comprising 6,119 poultry birds have been found dead in Maharashtra. The samples are being sent for testing to the National institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal and Disease Investigation Section, Pune.
According to the department of animal husbandry, so far 44,686 eggs and 63,864 kg poultry feed have been destroyed from the infected zones.
The state government has paid a compensation of Rs 34.06 lakh to the poultry farmers in the infected zones where the culling of poultry birds and disposal of eggs and poultry feed has been done.
