Poultry Culling Rejected

SLAWI (SINDO) – Native chickens in Dermasan village of Pangkah sub-district, Tegal district, are positively infected by the bird flu virus. But, citizens rejected mass culling of their poultry. Their reason was because they would not receive any compensation from the local government. In the end, the Fisheries, Marine, and Livestock Services Office of Tegal district only destroyed dead chickens due to AI by burning them along with their cages. Head of the Animal Health Section of the Fisheries, Marine, and Livestock Services Office of Tegal district, Abdi Manaf, said that it was done to anticipate spread of the virus.

“Actually we would like to conduct mass culling [of poultry] in the surroundings, but citizens refused it because there was no indemnity,” he said. He said that poultry death du to bird flu in Dermasandi village was the first case in 2008. Before, poultry death in other areas such as Tarub sub-district, 50 chickens, and Kedungbanteng sub-district, 40 chickens, were bird flu negative. “Rapid tests in Dermasandi village indicated the chickens were infected by bird flu, with symptoms of bluish combs, and discharge from the mouth and cloaca,” he explained.
He said that other than destroying dead chickens, they have also advised citizens to quarantine or house their chickens for 21 days. This was to prevent bird flu virus transmission to healthy chickens. Moreover, it was because poultry depopulation was rejected. The office along with local citizens also sprayed poultry houses with disinfectants. His office also has conducted socialization so people would not directly touch dead chickens and throw the dead chickens into the river. Based on data collected by SINDO, there were 52 native chickens that died in that village.
The chickens all died on Saturday morning (23/2). According to Slamet, 30 years old, a local citizen, about a week before there was a sudden die-off of hundreds of broiler chickens in Jatilawang village in Pangkah sub-district. “There is a possibility of transmission from those broiler chickens. Before there was not symptom of illness or depression,” said Khariri, 45 years old, another citizen who was worried with the incident. “We are worried that the virus could infect humans, more over there are many children playing in their backyards here,” Khariri said. (kastolani)
Source : SINDO Central Java & Yogyakarta