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Avian flu is raging in Greater Poland. Hundreds of thousands of ducks, chickens and turkeys have already been gassed
Marta Danielewicz
April 8, 2021 | 14:40
Avian flu attacked farms in the Kalisz district
1 PHOTO
Avian flu attacked Wielkopolska at the beginning of the year, but it is currently wreaking the greatest havoc in the Kalisz County. The hosts in this region, along with veterinary services, have been fighting the H5N1 virus since the beginning of March. Outbreaks were detected in 44 farms and poultry farms. Avian flu mainly decimates duck and turkey farms. In total, there are over 50 outbreaks in the entire Wielkopolska region.
- The situation is difficult. Already 700,000 animals have been gassed. We actually get a new report about a new outbreak every day. This is the first such situation in our poviat - says Mi?osz B?kowski, a poviat veterinarian from Kalisz.
The entire poviat is in the danger zone and in the air-entrained zone
The virus mainly affects ducks. It was found in at least six communes of the Kalisz poviat, which, almost entirely, by the ordinance of the Wielkopolska voivode, was included in the zone of danger and air pockets. Everywhere you can see characteristic yellow boards with information about the current situation. On the roads, at the entrance to other villages, there are also disinfection mats.
- Unfortunately, in Kalisz we have many small farms, where flocks of chickens, ducks and turkeys number several thousand individuals. They are located close to each other, sometimes it is a neighbor next to the neighbor, which is why this virus spreads so easily - explains B?kowski.
There are over 300 poultry farms registered in the Kalisz poviat.
The introduction of air pockets and risk zones for other breeders is a big problem. They cannot trade in animals, buy or deliver poultry outside the county. - Breeders also have biosecurity rules that they must follow. They have to disinfect rooms, halls, change clothes and shoes when they go to the animals. The most important thing is not the regulations themselves, but the need to comply with them - emphasizes the district veterinarian from Kalisz.
Mi?osz B?kowski has no doubts that the number of subsequent fires may increase up to 50. - We are doing everything not to double it.
Help from other counties
As the district veterinarian says - the very removal of virus outbreaks is a considerable logistical challenge for not only veterinary services, but also the police and fire brigades.
- We conduct an episodic investigation for each detected outbreak of avian influenza - we determine the probable source of infection. Then we make a quote for its removal. We choose a company that will gas the infected poultry, then a company that will collect the carcass, transport it away and dispose of it. In turn, the police appoint a patrol that watches over the fire so that bystanders do not appear there, they escort the passage of poultry. Together with the officers, we choose the route to the plant that will deal with the disposal of these animals - lists B?kowski. And these are just some of the tasks that must be completed in order to remove every single outbreak. In addition, there are all administrative matters and obtaining permits.
The Greater Poland veterinarian has appointed several doctors from neighboring poviats to assist the veterinary services from Kalisz.
The voivode's dramatic appeal on bird flu: avoid contact with birds, do not eat raw eggs
Influenza attacks poultry several days old as well as adults. According to the district veterinarian from Kalisz, wild birds are the main source of infection. However, there were cases where small ducks came to farms from other voivodeships or even from outside Poland, which could have already been infected.
Activists from Greenpeace Polska also draw attention to the bad situation in poultry farms and the raging bird flu. - More avian flu outbreaks, more tens of thousands of chickens killed. The huge concentration of industrial farms and the close proximity between them facilitate the spread of the virus, they indicate.
Activists argue that the reason why poultry animals are decimated is the existence of poultry farms, sometimes with several
Avian flu is raging in Greater Poland. Hundreds of thousands of ducks, chickens and turkeys have already been gassed
Marta Danielewicz
April 8, 2021 | 14:40
Avian flu attacked farms in the Kalisz district
1 PHOTO
Avian flu attacked Wielkopolska at the beginning of the year, but it is currently wreaking the greatest havoc in the Kalisz County. The hosts in this region, along with veterinary services, have been fighting the H5N1 virus since the beginning of March. Outbreaks were detected in 44 farms and poultry farms. Avian flu mainly decimates duck and turkey farms. In total, there are over 50 outbreaks in the entire Wielkopolska region.
- The situation is difficult. Already 700,000 animals have been gassed. We actually get a new report about a new outbreak every day. This is the first such situation in our poviat - says Mi?osz B?kowski, a poviat veterinarian from Kalisz.
The entire poviat is in the danger zone and in the air-entrained zone
The virus mainly affects ducks. It was found in at least six communes of the Kalisz poviat, which, almost entirely, by the ordinance of the Wielkopolska voivode, was included in the zone of danger and air pockets. Everywhere you can see characteristic yellow boards with information about the current situation. On the roads, at the entrance to other villages, there are also disinfection mats.
- Unfortunately, in Kalisz we have many small farms, where flocks of chickens, ducks and turkeys number several thousand individuals. They are located close to each other, sometimes it is a neighbor next to the neighbor, which is why this virus spreads so easily - explains B?kowski.
There are over 300 poultry farms registered in the Kalisz poviat.
The introduction of air pockets and risk zones for other breeders is a big problem. They cannot trade in animals, buy or deliver poultry outside the county. - Breeders also have biosecurity rules that they must follow. They have to disinfect rooms, halls, change clothes and shoes when they go to the animals. The most important thing is not the regulations themselves, but the need to comply with them - emphasizes the district veterinarian from Kalisz.
Mi?osz B?kowski has no doubts that the number of subsequent fires may increase up to 50. - We are doing everything not to double it.
Help from other counties
As the district veterinarian says - the very removal of virus outbreaks is a considerable logistical challenge for not only veterinary services, but also the police and fire brigades.
- We conduct an episodic investigation for each detected outbreak of avian influenza - we determine the probable source of infection. Then we make a quote for its removal. We choose a company that will gas the infected poultry, then a company that will collect the carcass, transport it away and dispose of it. In turn, the police appoint a patrol that watches over the fire so that bystanders do not appear there, they escort the passage of poultry. Together with the officers, we choose the route to the plant that will deal with the disposal of these animals - lists B?kowski. And these are just some of the tasks that must be completed in order to remove every single outbreak. In addition, there are all administrative matters and obtaining permits.
The Greater Poland veterinarian has appointed several doctors from neighboring poviats to assist the veterinary services from Kalisz.
The voivode's dramatic appeal on bird flu: avoid contact with birds, do not eat raw eggs
Influenza attacks poultry several days old as well as adults. According to the district veterinarian from Kalisz, wild birds are the main source of infection. However, there were cases where small ducks came to farms from other voivodeships or even from outside Poland, which could have already been infected.
Activists from Greenpeace Polska also draw attention to the bad situation in poultry farms and the raging bird flu. - More avian flu outbreaks, more tens of thousands of chickens killed. The huge concentration of industrial farms and the close proximity between them facilitate the spread of the virus, they indicate.
Activists argue that the reason why poultry animals are decimated is the existence of poultry farms, sometimes with several