The Ministry of Agriculture and Land Affairs recentlyhanded down tough new bio-security guidelines to commercial chicken and ostrich farming operations in a bid to head off an outbreak of bird flu in South Africa.
Farmers have been advised to install electric fencing in chicken coops to prevent other birds, animals or humans from introducing the virus. The department stresses that the measures carry no sanctions and it is looking for farmers’ cooperation
They have also been told to ensure that workers in contact with domestic birds wear protective clothing, and to place footbaths at the entrances to all poultry houses.
The government has given assurances that South Africa is in no immediate danger of an outbreak. However, there are concerns that bird flu could be brought into the country by migrating water and shore birds, such as terns.
In its advisory statement, the department said there should be absolutely no contact between wild birds and chickens, and no open water, such as ponds, dams or vleis, in the vicinity of chicken houses.
Spilt feed should be removed immediately and a pest control programme followed so that rodents have no access to poultry houses.
To avoid farm-to-farm infections, feed trucks should also be cleaned or disinfected at feed depots and go straight to farms where they are due to make deliveries, then return straight to the depots.
The department also recommends that feed silos should be erected next to fences so that feed trucks can access them from outside the perimeter.
Rural communities are also encouraged to limit contact between wild and domestic birds.
The department’s measures aim to avoid a repeat of last year’s mass culling of ostriches in the Eastern Cape after a bird flu scare.
It urges that all domestic ducks, geese, chickens and turkeys should be separated from ostriches and their water supply must not be accessible to wild water birds. Pigs should be kept separate from ostriches, as there are fears they could fast-track the spread of the virus from animals to humans.
”We are sure that if these bio security measures are followed, we will not have an avian flu outbreak,” said department of agriculture spokesperson Steve Galane.