June 21, 2006

CO2 analyser makes culling more efficient

Bird flu has raised awareness of mass culling among poultry farmers and various ways are now sought to make sure culling is done swiftly to stop the spread of the disease.

When bird flu strikes, entire farms may have to be culled and farm workers have often found it difficult to cull thousands of chickens in a matter of hours, even with the help of veterinarians alerted to the scene.

To gas contaminated poultry, a constant 80 percent carbon dioxide concentration is required for at least 30 minutes. However, it is difficult to find a completely hermetically sealed room to prevent gas leakage.

Enter the CO2 analyser, which assesses the gas concentration in the ambient air in the room so that more gas could be pumped in if the CO2 concentration falls below required levels. 

Carl Long, General Manager at Witt Gas Techniques, which manufactures the product, said the company has already received enquiries throughout Europe about the device.

Besides culling, the device can also be used to eliminate pests in grain silos, Long added.