Close on the heels of Karnataka sounding bird flu alert, the animal husbandry department here has banned all poultry products, including chicken, turkey, duck, duck manure and chicken feed, from Kerala and Karnataka. It also has taken steps to stop the flow of poultry products from these states through Tamil Nadu boundaries.
At least 23,000 chicks had died of bird flu at a poultry farm in Bidar district in Karnataka last Saturday. Following this, Karnataka government had sounded an alert to the central government.
However, poultry farm owners in the state are allowed to sell supply their broiler chicken and eggs to Kerala and Karnataka. They have been instructed to spray germicide on the product and get them certified before sending it across the border.
The animal husbandry department had on Thursday evening placed teams in all the 12 entry points to the state through Coimbatore and 23 entry points in Krishnagiri, to keep a watch on vehicles carrying poultry products from Karnataka and Kerala and also vehicles returning from these states after the supply.
"We supply eggs and broiler chicken to both Kerala and Karnataka. While that is still allowed, vehicles returning after supply are sprayed with germicide and thoroughly disinfected before being allowed entry to the state," said the joint director of animal husbandry, Dr V Muthugopalakrishnan. "We have stopped the supply of poultry feed from Karnataka and Kerala till the situation is again reviewed by the Central and state governments," he said. Around 10% of the 75 lakh broiler birds processed in a week in the state is sold to Kerala.
Coimbatore and Namakkal district collectors had on Thursday met poultry farm owners and asked them to keep a close eye on their stock. "Blood samples will be collected from private poultry farms and tested to ensure safety," said Namakkal collector V Dakshinamoorthy.
At least 23,000 chicks had died of bird flu at a poultry farm in Bidar district in Karnataka last Saturday. Following this, Karnataka government had sounded an alert to the central government.
However, poultry farm owners in the state are allowed to sell supply their broiler chicken and eggs to Kerala and Karnataka. They have been instructed to spray germicide on the product and get them certified before sending it across the border.
The animal husbandry department had on Thursday evening placed teams in all the 12 entry points to the state through Coimbatore and 23 entry points in Krishnagiri, to keep a watch on vehicles carrying poultry products from Karnataka and Kerala and also vehicles returning from these states after the supply.
"We supply eggs and broiler chicken to both Kerala and Karnataka. While that is still allowed, vehicles returning after supply are sprayed with germicide and thoroughly disinfected before being allowed entry to the state," said the joint director of animal husbandry, Dr V Muthugopalakrishnan. "We have stopped the supply of poultry feed from Karnataka and Kerala till the situation is again reviewed by the Central and state governments," he said. Around 10% of the 75 lakh broiler birds processed in a week in the state is sold to Kerala.
Coimbatore and Namakkal district collectors had on Thursday met poultry farm owners and asked them to keep a close eye on their stock. "Blood samples will be collected from private poultry farms and tested to ensure safety," said Namakkal collector V Dakshinamoorthy.