The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Eight poultry farms in Gosarling geog and another two farms in Tsholingkhar geog under Tsirang are seeing their chicken numbers dwindle due to high mortality cases in the farms within a period of one week.
The livestock office in Tsirang received complaints from the farmers on the increasing mortality rate in young poultry birds in about eight layer farms in Pemathang and Zomlingzor village in Gosaling geog and Drupchugang and lower Tsholingkhar villages of Tsholingkhar geog in May 31.
According to the report maintained by the livestock department in Wangdue, a thorough investigation on the cause of the high mortality cases was carried out after the affected poultry farmers panicked and sought after free replacement stock from the dzongkhag.
The Tsirang DVH is closely monitoring the outbreak. The team has collected various samples and data during the outbreak period, but has not made any definite diagnosis so far. The team has made retrospective investigation to validate the cause and find out the possible source of the outbreak.
As an early control and prevention method, the affected birds have been quarantined and kept away from the healthy birds. Further, the farmers have been advised to thoroughly clean and disinfect the feeders and water in the affected bird coops and sheds.
And as per the report from the livestock department, the carcasses of birds were disposed off with strict zoo sanity measures and the poultry farmers were advised to change the litter in the contaminated coops and sheds and to leave it vacant for a minimum of 21 days during which a thorough cleaning and disinfection must be done. They were further instructed to heighten the bio-security measures in the farms to prevent any further spread and possible deaths in poultry.
However, the latest case of poultry death was reported from the same dzongkhag in first week of June. According to the report, during the period of outbreak, there was no report on the procurement of new birds and other equipment in the farm, but a change in weather patterns with cycles of intense sun and heavy rains was reported in Tsirang prior to the outbreak period.
Although the control and prevention measures against high mortality cases were put in place, and yet the report stated, that such cases are occurring for the first time in the poultry farms in Tsirang within a period of one decade of commercial poultry farming.
Tsirang contributes the highest supply of eggs to the nation and towards the goal of achieving egg self-sufficiency.
