Western Cape chicken farms on high alert after bird flu outbreak
Several chicken farms in the Western Cape are on high alert following an outbreak of avian (bird) flu.
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development confirmed that five Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreaks were confirmed in commercial chicken farms in the province.
“All affected farms have been immediately placed under quarantine and no live animals and or birds and eggs are allowed to be removed from the farm. The department would like to reassure consumers that commercial poultry meat and eggs are safe to eat. Care should however be taken when preparing food to avoid other food-borne pathogens,” department spokesperson Reggie Ngcobo said in a statement.
Ngcobo said birds infected with HPAI get sick fairly quickly and die.
He explained that, generally, the first sign of sick animals, including birds, is drop in production, meaning that sick birds will produce very few, if any, eggs.
The department said this, together with the added mitigation of placing farms under quarantine, means no eggs from infected properties will make their way to shelves.
“We strongly encourage all poultry farmers including those with birds kept as a hobby or for zoo purposes to adhere to strict biosecurity measures to prevent the introduction of HPAI. We also urge farmers and individuals to report any suspect outbreak to the responsible private or state veterinarian,“ Ngcobo said.
-IOL
In other news – VIDEO: Unathi Nkayi working on that summer body
Mzansi radio presenter, Unathi Nkayi has one of Mzansi’s most enviable bodies – and she’s achieved it through sheer sweat, tears, and hard work.
The media personality who famously lost a substantial amount of weight in recent years, shared a look at one of her workouts. In a recent Instagram post, Unathi shared a look at one of her upbeat cardio workouts. In the clip, the former Kaya FM presenter is seen breaking a sweat – with a smile on her face! She captioned the post, Learn More
