January 5, 2023

 

European nations forced to cull poultry due to spread of avian flu

European poultry farmers have been forced to cull poultry flocks to stop the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza that is spreading across the region, China.org.cn reported.

 

Sweden said 165,000 chickens will be culled at a farm south of the country after bird flu was detected there.

 

Katharina Gielen, head of disease control and prevention at Sweden's Board of Agriculture, said they have decided to cull the animals before the coops are sanitised and new animals are reintroduced.

 

725,000 chickens will also be culled in the Czech Republic after bird flu was detected at farms west of the country.

 

The country's State Veterinary Administration said that despite the measures taken and all efforts, it was not possible to prevent the spread of the highly contagious poultry disease to other areas.

 

Meanwhile, France is reportedly considering widespread vaccination for its chicken and turkey populations.

 

According to reports, tens of millions of birds are being kept indoors throughout Europe as a precaution. This raises the cost of maintenance and increases the risk of a rapid spread should some of these populations become infected.

 

Throughout 2022, there were lots of bird flu cases reported in Europe, especially on farms in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain, and Sweden.

 

Since December 30, 2022, avian influenza has been detected in wild bird populations in Austria, Denmark, Italy, and the Netherlands.

 

With nearly 2,500 outbreaks reported in 37 European countries, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control described the October 2021–September 2022 bird flu outbreak as the most devastating the continent had ever seen.

 

Since its discovery in 1879, the illness, officially known as H5N1 avian influenza, has experienced sporadic outbreaks.

 

The widespread culling will increase the pressure on prices in European nations. In recent months, poultry and egg prices have already reached record highs as a result of rising fuel prices and supply problems brought on by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

 

-      China.org.cn