South African farm calls for action after bird flu outbreak
South African poultry farm company Astral Foods has called on the government to act quickly to limit the spread of bird flu after a second outbreak was confirmed at one of its farms. Astral Foods said the outbreak had been contained and dealt with. The farm in question is in quarantine and the incident is not related to June's outbreak at its farm in Villiers. Bird flu has been detected in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Free State this year, prompting the cull of thousands of chickens. Astral also urged the government to do more to regulate vaccination programmes.

Calls for govt to intervene after another bird flu outbreak

A second outbreak of avian influenza on an astral poultry breeding farm in Mpumalanga has been confirmed.

JOHANNESBURG - A local poultry farm that’s confirmed a second outbreak of bird flu has called on government to take swift action as it did with the maize industry when it was hit by the fall army worm.

A second outbreak of avian influenza on an astral poultry breeding farm has been confirmed.

That outbreak has since been dealt with and the farm is under quarantine. However, there’s been an isolated outbreak at another farm in Mpumalanga.

Astral Foods says there are a number of poultry farms in the Welbedacht area and this outbreak could pose a threat to its operations there.

But Astral adds that the lessons learnt from the first outbreak will be used to stop the spread of the bird flu virus.

The company says this new outbreak is unrelated to the June outbreak at its farm in Villiers and is isolated.

It says the virus has impacted one shed on the Welbedacht farm and is being managed.

Astral Foods also says it would like the government to better assist the poultry industry by regulating the use of vaccination programmes.

Thousands of chickens have been culled in the country since bird flu was detected in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Free State earlier this year.

(Edited by Winnie Theletsane)