3,000 more birds die at a farm in a day in NTR district, flu suspected

A day after mass mortality of more than 4,000 birds was reported from a poultry farm at Anumollanka village in Gampalagudem mandal of NTR district, the officials on Wednesday confirmed death of 3,000 more birds at the same farm.

A day after mass mortality of more than 4,000 birds was reported from a poultry farm at Anumollanka village in Gampalagudem mandal of NTR district, the officials on Wednesday confirmed death of 3,000 more birds at the same farm.

All the birds, aged 24 days, were broiler chicks and belonged to the same farm, Sri Balaji Poultry Farms, but to two different sheds, said M. Hanumantha Rao, Joint Director, Animal Husbandry, NTR district.

With Wednesday’s toll, the farm has lost all its birds and they have been safely disposed of, he said.

The officials suspect bird flu, a viral infection, while confirmation of the same has to come from the Bhopal-based ICAR-National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases where samples have been sent for testing. The lab reports are expected in three days.

“The further action will be decided based on the report. As of now, we have declared the areas within 1 km radius of the farm a red zone and the area within 10 km a surveillance zone. There is no other farm in the red zone, but there is one in the surveillance zone,” Mr. Hanumantha Rao said, adding that the other farm has been asked to be on alert.

He said people in the village have been asked to not consume chicken and eggs, but there are no such restrictions in other places of the district, including Vijayawada.

A Rapid Response Team, formed on February 5, has been visiting all 116 poultry farms in the district and conducting orientation programmes for farmers who are being sensitised to sanitation and biosecurity practices, the official said.