Over 12,000 chickens and geese have been culled at two poultry farms in central and southern Taiwan after health officials confirmed bird flu at the farms, local government officials said on Sunday.
Changhua County Animal Disease Control Center director Tung Meng-chih (董孟治) said more than 10,000 chickens were destroyed at a poultry farm in Dacheng Township (大城) after a high percentage of them were confirmed to be infected with H5N2 Type B bird flu.
It is the fifth bird flu outbreak in Taiwan this year and the first since the beginning of the Lunar New Year on Feb. 8, Tung said.
At a goose farm in Tainan’s Liuying District (柳營), 2,443 geese were culled after some of the geese tested positive for H5 bird flu, Tainan Animal Health and Protection Office officials said.
Officials also disinfected two other poultry farms about 1km from the goose farm, and the area is to be closely monitored for three months to ensure the virus does not spread.
Both of the infected farms were enclosed and not vulnerable to infection by contact with wild birds, leading experts to infer that the infection was brought in from outside.
Tainan Animal Health and Protection Office director Lee Chao-chuan (李朝全) said control over the entry of humans, animals and biological matter into the farms is very important in preventing infections.
He urged farmers not to rush to introduce goslings to their farms as some might be doing so because of the high market price for goose meat after a harsh winter that saw a large number of geese killed by bird flu.
“Sanitizing the farms is critical before raising goslings,” Lee said.
Council of Agriculture officials called on farmers to watch for any abnormal deaths or egg-laying rates among their stock.
“Attention should also be paid to the birds’ drinking and eating habits,” a council official said. “Farmers should call animal health authorities as soon as anything unusual is observed.”
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