48 more samples of poultry birds collected

Tribune News Service

Mohali, December 23

Continuing its operation, the Animal Husbandry Department today collected 48 more samples of chicken reared at backyard poultry at Nayagaon and Kansal villages.

Teams of the Animal and Husbandry Department also visited poultry farms at Raipur and Tira villages apart from some poultry farms in the Dera Bassi sub-division and collected samples of poultry birds.

After taking 48 more samples of poultry birds, the department has collected a total of 136 samples till date. On Monday, 78 samples were collected while the number was just 10 on Sunday.

Talking to The Tribune, Anil Sharma, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry, said the samples had been sent to Jalandhar-based Regional disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RDDL) for examination.

“We have not received any information about the deaths of poultry birds in our area,” he said.

The department has been focusing within 1-km radial distance from Sukhna Lake after the death of a goose due to the avian influenza virus. Teams have been deployed to conduct a door-to door surveillance in 10-km distance from the lake.

“We are educating and advising the farmers to sanitise their birds and handle them after putting on gloves and other mandatory kits,” he said.

The farmers have also been advised to intimate area veterinary officials in case they notice any unnatural death of birds in their surroundings, said Dr Sharma.