Around 90,000 animals killed - Avian influenza detected on a farm in Grafschaft Bentheim
In a poultry farm in the Grafschaft Bentheim county, an outbreak of avian flu has occurred. This is the highly pathogenic form, the district announced. The reference laboratory, the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, has confirmed this. The entire flock of approximately 91,000 birds kept in the farm in Bad Bentheim was culled on Monday. Afterwards, cleaning and disinfection of the farm began, the county administration added.
To prevent the spread of the virus, the district took protective measures. A protection zone with a radius of three kilometers and a surveillance zone with a radius of ten kilometers were set up around the affected farm. In addition, investigations are being carried out in neighboring farms. A livestock disease logistics center, where vehicles are cleaned, is expected to be ready for operation from Wednesday.
According to the county, there are 14 farms in the protection zone that keep poultry - a total of 232,300 birds. In the surveillance zone, there are around 300 farms with approximately 1.2 million birds. In both zones, poultry may not be taken or transported from the farms.
The Agriculture Ministry advises caution
The Agriculture Ministry in Hannover used the new case as an opportunity to urge farmers to strictly adhere to biosecurity measures and improve them if necessary. "Farmers and farmers' wives who notice anomalies – such as reduced feed and water intake in animals, increased mortality in the animal population or other clinical symptoms – should report this immediately to the competent veterinary authority," the ministry stated.
According to the Agriculture Ministry, there were cases of avian flu in 17 farms last year, affecting over 220,000 birds. In this year, there have been two outbreaks in Lower Saxony: in a broiler farm in the Emsland region in January and in a free-range layer farm in the Landkreis Northeim district.
Avian flu, also known as avian influenza, is an infectious disease that primarily affects waterfowl and other birds. Introduced into farms, it can cause significant economic damage - if a flock is infected, all animals there must be culled.
- To ensure the farm is safe for new poultry, intensive cleaning and disinfection processes are necessary after the culling of the affected flock in Bad Bentheim.
- The outbreak of avian flu in Grafschaft Bentheim county has raised concerns about the health of local animals and the potential impact on agriculture in Lower Saxony.
- As a precautionary measure, the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute is conducting further studies on the avian influenza virus to determine its exact strain and help develop effective treatments.
- Inspectors from the agricultural authorities have been deployed to monitor the situation in both the protection zone and the surveillance zone for any signs of avian flu in neighboring farms.
- The Agriculture Ministry in Lower Saxony is providing guidance and resources to farmers in affected regions, emphasizing the importance of strict biosecurity measures and regular vet checks to prevent the spread of avian flu and other diseases among animals.
