Poultry biz normal in Mandya

Though the fear of bird flu is gripping several parts of the State, it has not affected the poultry business in the district so far. Shops and poultry farms continue to do business as usual.

Dr Prakash, Deputy Director for Animal Husbandry, has clarified that there was no fear of an outbreak of bird flu in the district.

There is no slump in the price of poultry meat and the demand is normal. The department is in contact with the owners of poultry farms and has also directed them to take preventive measures to keep the disease at bay, Dr Prakash said.

There are 227 poultry farms in the district, which supply broiler chicken, and only 24 farms where fowls are reared for eggs. As the life of a broiler chicken is just six weeks, it is sold and disposed. Broiler chicken are used in the district itself and is rarely transported to the neighbouring district of Mysuru. At times of demand, fowls are brought from Channapatna. The fowls here are not sent to other states.

Price per kg

The meat is sold at Rs 88 (undressed) and Rs 92 (dressed) per kg. According to Prakash of Navodaya Traders, who sells broiler chicken, the prices are stable for the past several weeks. As village fairs are being celebrated, the demand has not come down, he added.

Bird sanctuary

Dr Prakash said, as birds from across the State and country visit Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary in Srirangapatna taluk and a sanctuary at Kokkare Bellur in Maddur taluk, the authorities have been told to closely monitor the health of the birds.

The authorities are also monitoring poultry farms in the district. The farm owners have been instructed to bring any bird death, even if it is accidental, it to their notice.

There is no fear if the meat is cooked properly and consumed. There is no need for anxiety among farm owners and public, he added.

Faecal samples collected

In the wake of the bird flu outbreak at Humnabad, Bidar district, the authorities of the Animal Husbandry Department are collecting faecal samples of birds at Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary in Srirangapatna taluk.

Veterinarian Dr Manjunath of Veterinary Hospital in Palahalli and his team visited the bird sanctuary and collected fresh faecal samples of birds.

Dr Manjunath said, the samples were collected in test tubes and they will be sent to the Indian Animal Health and Veterinary Biological Laboratory in Mysuru. They will be later sent to a research centre in Bhopal, he added.

As a measure to check the spread of the disease, visitors to the sanctuary are made to dip their feet in an antiseptic solution, before entering it. Out of three entrances to the sanctuary, two have been closed and visitors are allowed only through one entrance.