Bird Flu observed in two farms

ben adhoc

February 4, 2016 2:58 PM

The commissioner called on poultry farmers in the state to be on the look-out and report any sign of any outbreak on their farms to the ministry for prompt attention.

Bird Flu(Picture used for illustrative purpose.)

Mr Yusuf Lawee, the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Agriculture and Water Resources, on Thursday said that bird flu had been observed in two farms in the state.

Lawee told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia that the farms were in Karu and Akwanga Local Government areas of the state.

He said that over 37, 000 birds had been culled in the two farms since the discovery.

He said the birds were culled as part of efforts to restrict the spread of the disease to the two farms.

"When we got information about the outbreak of the disease last week, we immediately mobilised experts from the ministry’s poultry and livestock department to depopulate and disinfect the affected farms.

"This is in order to check the spread of the disease,’’ Lawee said.

He said that the ministry was also educating poultry farmers and members of the public on ways to handle birds to avoid contracting the disease.

He said it had been difficult to pay compensation for the culled birds because poultry farms in the state were not properly registered.

According to Lawee, government is working assiduously in spite of the on-going labour strike in the state to ensure that the outbreak is curtailed within the shortest time possible.

ben adhoc