June 22, 2006

 

Poultry production in Vietnam revolutionised by bird flu

 

 

Bird flu has changed the landscape of Vietnam irrevocably as the government announced new measures designed to ensure that the virus would not wreak havoc with the nation's billion-dollar poultry industry as it did for the past 2 years.

 

The country is now focusing on establishing industrial farms, slaughterhouses and markets so as to avoid scattered farming which supplies most of its poultry now.

 

Vietnam, where breeding of chickens was ubiquitous, has already banned the breeding of fowls in inner areas of major cities and towns.

 

Other localities would be applying the ban before the end of the year, the country's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said.

 

Farms with more than 500 breeding hens or at least 1,000 commodity fowls must be built away from residential areas, schools, national roads and hospitals.

 

Raising waterfowls freely in fields or canals without cages have also been prohibited.

 

Egg-hatching facilities must also be at least 500m away from animal raising areas and residential houses.

 

The ministry is promoting three modes of poultry farming: industry, semi-industry and farming household with more focus on the first two.

 

The ministry is providing assistance to farming households hoping to upgrade to semi-industry production in places with large poultry populations.

 

Vietnam is also re-zoning poultry distribution and slaughtering systems. All cities have been directed to construct central slaughterhouses to replace the small and scattered slaughterhouses currently.

 

Cities and towns were also told to abolish live fowl markets and build poultry markets away from the general markets. Poultry and poultry products in the market must undergo quarantine and transported in specially designated vehicles. In addition, poultry sold in the market must be certified by relevant animal health agencies.

 

About VND670 billion (US$42.1 million U.S. dollars) has been set aside to provide for the re-zoning scheme.

 

Vietnam would resume hatching waterfowls soon, the country's animal health officials said on Wednesday (Jun 21).

 

Hatching of waterfowl, such as ducks and geese, was suspended in November last year. Waterfowl can carry the H5N1 bird flu virus without showing symptoms.

 

Officials say the vaccination of more than 242 million birds has reduced bird flu outbreaks in poultry.

 

The vaccines were effective in keeping the bird flu virus away so the department is considering hatching ducks and other water fowls again, said Nguyen Van Thong, deputy director of the Agriculture Ministry's Animal Health Department.

 

In February, the government allowed chicken breeders to resume production but farmers are required to vaccinate all of their day-old chickens before selling them.