October 13, 2022

French Ministry of Agriculture says over 330,000 birds have been culled due to bird flu

Data from the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food showed 332,753 birds in the country have been culled in 20 bird flu infected farms, RFI reported.

After a disastrous 2021–2022 season in which a record 21 million birds were killed, the virus—which typically disappears in the summer as temperatures rise—has persisted in wildlife this year.

The official count of avian influenza outbreaks for the 2022–2023 season started in August, although farms on the Channel coast began reporting cases at the end of July.

Since then, the north-west has seen the majority of confirmed cases, including Normandy, the Loire Valley, and Brittany, which had previously avoided bird flu outbreaks.

The virus has affected farms that produce foie gras, egg-laying hens, turkeys, and breeding ducks, which are necessary for farm renewal. In the southwest, in Gironde, a private duck farm, one case was also discovered.

France has reported the second-highest number of outbreaks in Europe, behind Germany.

In high-risk areas, it is forbidden to raise poultry outdoors in order to prevent coming into contact with migratory birds that are infected.

-      RFI