Bird flu (H5N2) empties South Africa's ostrich farms

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16275280

13 January 2012 Last updated at 01:28 ET

Bird flu empties South Africa's ostrich farms
By Pumza Fihlani BBC News, Oudtshoorn

South Africa's ostrich farmers are struggling to cope after thousands of their birds were culled during one of the country's worst outbreaks of bird flu.

Exports to Europe - the biggest market for South Africa's ostrich meat - have crashed since the EU banned the import of the low-cholesterol meat to stop the virus spreading.

Some farmers have been able to salvage their business through exporting ostrich feathers to South America - they are used in the colourful Rio Carnival.

Oudtshoorn, a town about 450km (279 miles) from Cape Town, is the heartland of the country's ostrich industry.

Highgate Ostrich Show Farm is empty, apart from a few workers cleaning the yard there is no-one else in sight.

This is uncharacteristic of the popular tourist farm which is always abuzz with activity.

Hundreds of local and international visitors would normally be queuing to ride trained ostriches, buy luxury ostrich products such as leather and feathers or simply to spend time feeding the birds.

But for the first time in its 80 years, there are no ostriches for visitors to see - they have all been culled...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Bird flu (H5N2) empties South Africa's ostrich farms

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/22/business/ostrich-farming-south-africa/

S. Africa ostrich industry hit by major bird flu outbreak
By Robyn Curnow and Teo Kermeliotis, CNN
updated 5:46 AM EST, Wed February 22, 2012

(CNN) -- For some 100 years, tourists have flocked Arenhold Hooper's ostrich family farm in Oudtshoorn, the South African city renowned as the ostrich capital of the world, to ride its long-legged, long-necked birds.

Today, however, Hooper's Highgate Ostrich show farm is devoid of both birds and people after tests showed that a major avian flu outbreak in the region has infected his birds. As a result, all of Hooper's 1,500 ostriches have been culled.

"We do not have a business at this stage, our business is closed," says Hooper, whose farm has been empty eight months now...