October 31, 2005

Slovakia orders poultry indoors as precaution against bird flu
 

Slovakia's government has ordered farmers to keep their poultry indoors, following the recent bird flu cases in Turkey and Romania.

Besides keeping their poultry indoors and away from wild birds, farmers were also required to guard against fodder and water pollution, the government said.

Farmers were also ordered to report to relevant authorities any abnormal fall in poultry eating and egg laying levels, or if there was a three percent rise in their mortality rate every week.

The government also required sterilisation for newly purchased birds, and has banned all live bird markets and exhibitions.