Hyderabad: A mysterious virus has severely impacted the poultry industry in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, including the districts of Godavari, Khammam, and Nizamabad. Broiler chickens that appear to be healthy are suddenly dying, causing widespread concern among poultry farm owners. While poultry deaths are usually considered a normal occurrence to some extent, the sudden death of thousands of broiler chickens has left farm owners alarmed.
Mass Poultry Deaths in West Godavari
In the West Godavari district, large numbers of dead broiler chickens are being found near poultry farms. Reports indicate that in some poultry farms, nearly 10,000 broiler chickens are dying every day.
However, the exact cause of these deaths remains unknown. This sudden crisis has led to a significant decline in layer egg exports. Normally, more than 40 truckloads of layer eggs are sent daily to West Bengal and Assam, but this number has now dropped to just 25 trucks. If the situation continues, the number could fall to single digits.
40 Lakh Broiler Chickens Dead in 15 Days
Under normal conditions, poultry farms experience daily mortality rates of about 0.05%. For instance, in a farm with 100,000 broiler chickens, around 20 to 50 deaths per day are considered within acceptable limits. However, the current situation is far worse.
In just the last 15 days, over 40 lakh (4 million) broiler chickens have died in the West Godavari district alone, highlighting the severity of the crisis. Farmers are now urging the government to identify the virus and help in controlling its spread.
Fear Among Indian Poultry Farmers
Typically, cold weather in December and January increases the risk of respiratory infections in broiler chickens. However, poultry farmers say that this virus has unusual symptoms compared to past outbreaks. They live in constant fear, uncertain of how many of their broiler chickens will survive each morning.
Due to the rapid spread of the virus, many poultry farmers are selling their live broiler chickens at lower prices, fearing further losses.
Government Investigation Underway
Authorities have begun investigations and have collected samples from various poultry farms to be sent to laboratories for testing. The results will determine the exact nature of the disease.
Meanwhile, officials have instructed farmers not to dispose of dead broiler chickens in open areas but to bury them properly to prevent further spread of the virus.
Suspected H5N1 Virus Outbreak
Veterinary experts suspect that the cause of these deaths could be the H5N1 virus, which previously caused devastation in 2012 and 2020.
Four years ago, a similar outbreak led to mass broiler chicken deaths, causing a sharp decline in layer eggs and broiler chicken sales, as well as a major drop in poultry market rate.
One of the biggest dangers of this virus is that infected broiler chickens do not show any symptoms and die suddenly.
Possible Link to Migratory Poultry Birds
A large number of migratory poultry birds have recently arrived near Kolleru Lake, raising concerns that they might be responsible for spreading the virus.
Experts have advised that broiler chickens should be vaccinated from an early stage to protect them from potential infections.
Poultry Farmers in Deep Trouble
The virus has now spread from native broiler chicken breeds to broiler chicken and layer egg farms. Normally, Indian poultry farms take extreme precautions in vaccinating layer egg and broiler chickens, administering up to 23 vaccines by the time a broiler chicken reaches 20 weeks of age.
Despite these precautions, the mystery virus is killing broiler chickens at an alarming rate, leaving poultry farm owners worried. If this disease is not controlled soon, the survival of the poultry industry itself could be at risk in the coming days.
Source – munsifdaily.com
