Chennai, December 28 (IANS). Poultry farms are on alert in Namakkal district of neighboring Tamil Nadu amid reports of the spread of avian influenza (bird flu) in Kerala. This area is one of the largest egg production centers in the country. In such a situation, poultry farms have increased bio-security and surveillance measures to prevent the spread of the disease.
There are about 1,500 poultry farms in Namakkal, which supply eggs to markets in many Indian states and abroad. Given the important role of the district in India’s poultry industry, officials and poultry farmers do not want to take any risks.
Tamil Nadu government has increased surveillance on the inter-state border. Additionally, poultry transport vehicles are being inspected and health monitoring on farms has been tightened.
Pathasarathy, owner of a poultry farm in Namakkal, said more safety protocols have been implemented as a precautionary measure. He said, ‘After the spread of the disease in Kerala, we have further strengthened the bio-security rules. Here the chickens are reared in a controlled environment and constant cleaning and disinfection is strictly followed. Formalin is often used to kill disease-causing organisms.”
He further said that vehicles carrying poultry feed and eggs are being thoroughly disinfected before entering the farms. “Extreme precautions are being taken with the vehicles coming from Kerala. They are completely disinfected before being allowed to come near the farms,” he said.
Another poultry farmer said that preventive vaccination and hygiene methods play an important role in keeping the farm safe. “We ensure that chickens are vaccinated on time and hygiene is maintained. Wet litter, accumulation of garbage or spoiled feed can easily spread infection, so constant monitoring is necessary,” he said.
Valsan Parameswaran, secretary of the Poultry Products Exporters Association, said that the industry is fully alert about the dangers. He said, “More than 50 lakh eggs are exported daily from Namakkal. The export farms follow strict bio-security standards throughout the year. The hens are examined every 21 days and the water used in the farms is also treated to eliminate pathogens.”
A senior official of the Animal Husbandry Department said that surveillance has been increased at inter-state check posts. “Namakkal does not have a border with Kerala, but its importance as a poultry hub puts it at risk. We have stepped up testing, vehicle checks and awareness programs for farmers and workers to ensure early detection and containment of any outbreak,” the official said.
–IANS
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