Nghi Loc: Thousands of poultry 'freely' defying the flu epidemic

(Baonghean.vn)-Nghi Loc district currently has over 1,476,000 poultry, facing the risk of H5N1 and H7N9 infiltration. Worryingly, many farmers are indifferent to disease prevention.

Dead chickens littered

Mr. Dang Viet Thao in Hamlet 6, Nghi Cong Nam Commune, who regularly collects and disposes of garbage at the Ben Nay Banyan Tree landfill (in Hamlet 6, Nghi Cong Bac Commune), said: “From February 8 to 13, I discovered 26 dead chickens here. On the morning of February 15, two more bags of chickens were thrown into the landfill, containing 31 chickens, many of which were still alive.”

After being informed of the incident, Nghi Cong Bac commune authorities sent officials to the scene to spread lime powder to disinfect and destroy the chickens. Mr. Nguyen Van Ly - Chairman of Nghi Cong Bac commune People's Committee said: "The commune authorities also inspected poultry farms in the area but did not discover whose dead chickens these were."

The Banyan tree landfill in Nghi Cong Bac commune, hamlet 6, is where people dump a large number of dead and diseased chickens.

Hundreds of livestock households do not vaccinate against disease

Implementing the Official Dispatch No. 29/CD.UBND of Nghi Loc District People's Committee "On focusing on preventing and fighting avian influenza at present", the District Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station assigned staff to stay in the area and propagate to the people to proactively vaccinate against H5N1 influenza, but only 19 households raising concentrated poultry using industrial methods seriously carried out vaccination; about 500 households raising poultry using pond water surface, letting them roam freely with a scale of 300 - 5,000 birds/batch were negligent and did not implement.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Phu in Hamlet 1, Nghi Hoa Commune raises 2,000 laying ducks and 5,000 meat ducks. He only vaccinates the laying ducks, not the meat ducks raised in ponds. According to Mr. Phu: “Laying ducks are vaccinated because they are raised for a long time. Meat ducks are only raised for 50 days before being sold, so there is no need to vaccinate to reduce costs. If there is a risk of an epidemic, we will take responsibility.”

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Phu's household - Hamlet 1, Nghi Hoa Commune has 5,000 meat ducks raised outdoors, but none of them have been vaccinated against H5N1 flu.

Nghi Quang Commune is considered a high-risk area for infection, with over a dozen households raising large-scale chickens and ducks, tens of thousands of birds per batch. Most of the ducks are raised freely in the area along the Cam River dike and have not been vaccinated against the disease.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Van - agricultural land officer of Nghi Quang commune said: "Avian influenza vaccines are no longer provided as before, but farmers have to buy them at a cost of 1,000 VND/dose. With the aim of reducing input costs, most farming households have ignored the vaccination against avian influenza. Although the commune has sent out a notice on vaccination policy, so far no one has registered to buy the vaccine."

Nghi Loc District Veterinary Station prepares over 750 liters of iodine disinfectant for the month of disinfection action.

Mr. Tran Quoc Cuong - Head of Nghi Loc District Veterinary Station added: "Given the situation of avian influenza outbreaks in neighboring districts, we recommend that people strictly manage the import and export of flocks to avoid introducing sick poultry into the area."

Le Minh