The largest bird flu infection to date has been recorded at a farm in Heythuysen, Limburg. All 300,000 laying hens at the location are being culled, reports the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Thursday. According to the Dutch Food Safety Authority (NVWA) this is the deadliest year of bird flu since the 2003 epidemic.
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Including the infection in Heythuysen, the NVWA culled almost six million birds in the past year in the fight against bird flu. One million of these were removed as a preventive measure. The actual number is even slightly higher, as culls at hobby sites with fewer than 50 birds are not included. More birds were culled in 2003 alone, when more than 30 million birds were culled at 255 locations. Many wild birds also die from the virus. Agriculture Minister Piet Adema (ChristenUnie) calls the situation “unsustainable”. “Not for the animals, not for poultry farmers, not for society.”
In Heythuysen, in the North Limburg municipality of Leudal, the NVWA expects to spend several days culling all 300,000 chickens. There are five other poultry farms within two miles of the farm, which are currently being screened for bird flu and monitored for the next 14 days. There are 128 other poultry farms within the ten kilometer zone. Transport is prohibited in this area, except under strict conditions for transport to slaughter.