Chicken culling in full swing in Bhaktapur

KATHMANDU, Aug 16: On the second day after the announcement of Bhaktapur district as a bird flu emergency zone, the government on Friday continued culling chickens in various parts of the district.



Ten teams mobilized on Friday by the Directorate of Animal Health (DoAH) in the district culled thousands of chickens in poultry farms in the district, according to the DoAH. Each team comprised 10 workers, two technicians and a veterinary doctor. The Ministry of Agricultural Development had decided to execute a blanket culling of chickens in the district on Wednesday. [break]



Narayan Ghimire, spokesperson at the DoAH, informed that thousands of chickens and ducks were culled and chicken feeds were destroyed at poultry farms in Chhaling, Sudal, Bageshwori, Nankhel, Dadhikot, Chitpol, Tathali, Duwakot, Dadhikot, Katunje, Chaukhel and Sipadol, among others.



He said DoAH aims to destroy all the poultry and poultry-related products including manure, chicken feeds in the district within seven to 10 days. “Along with chickens, chicken manure, feathers and eggs are equally dangerous. So, we are destroying them meticulously in safe areas,” he said, adding that the teams are working on a war footing to combat bird flu outbreak in the district.



All the poultry farms in the district will be sealed for the next three months. Likewise, the government has also banned import and export of poultry products in and out of the district. “We are yet to get the details of the number of culled chickens,” said Ghimire.

As per the record provided by the District Livestock Services Office, the teams on the first day had culled 53,308 chickens and destroyed 181,526 eggs and 4,363 kilograms of chicken feed by Thursday evening.



Meanwhile, Ghimire informed that the bird flu was also reported in poultry farms in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Kritipur on Friday.

According to him, bird flu has been detected in two poultry farms in Gothatar and one poultry farm in Thankot of Kathmandu district and a farm in Bhaisepati of Lalitpur. Likewise, bird flu has also been reported in three poultry farms in Kritipur.



“By tomorrow, DoAH will demarcate the infected areas in the three districts and start taking necessary steps,” he said, adding that poultry farmers would be compensated as per the per Bird Flu Disease Control Order, 2064 BS.

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