Tips for small scale farmers: Avian Influenza... and other nasties

摘要

It was just over a year ago that the first outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu) in South Africa wasreported. This disease hit thecommercial layer sector of the industry especially hard, although no other sector was spared either. Nationally, some 5.4 million birds were culledand the estimated direct cost to the poultry sector was R40.4 million. The income lost estimate is around R1.5 billion.It can be easy to think that this is 'someone else's' problem, but it is an issue that belongs to ALL poultry farmers and we must be proactive to avoid a repeat of the appalling losses seen last year.