The Animal Husbandry Department has advised poultry farms in Namakkal to take precautionary measures following reports of bird flu cases in Kerala.
Namakkal is the major hub for poultry goods in the country and Kerala is one of the important business places for farms. The Department has advised poultry farms in Namakkal to follow biosafety norms strictly to prevent an outbreak of the disease here.
Officials said that all trucks carrying poultry goods entering and leaving the State are being thoroughly disinfected at State borders and farms as well. Officials advised farms to avoid shifting of labourers between farms as avian flu is a zoonotic disease. ‘Free from avian flu’ certificate has been mandated for all trucks leaving with goods from here though it is already in practice. Farms have been advised to prevent entry of wild birds as they could be carriers of the flu.
According to officials, the veterinary treatment centres in the district have been instructed to alert poultry disease diagnostic lab here in case of untoward incidents are reported.
Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts are major producers of broiler birds in the State. R. Lakshmanan, chairman of Broiler Co-ordination Committee, said just about 10 % of the broiler birds produced in Tamil Nadu are sold in Kerala. Broiler production in Kerala has increased over the years. "We do not get raw materials or other items from Kerala. Hence, there is no immediate impact." Compared to layer birds, the impact on the broiler sector is very less, he said.
