Mexico-11 million slaughtered poultry from bird flu in Jalisco

 21/08/2012

Due to the outbreak of bird flu farms presented in Jalisco, the Senasica announces second phase of vaccination with the application of 90 million doses, 10.9 million birds slaughtered to prevent contagion
MEXICO CITY, Mexico, Aug. 21, 2012. - The Government of Mexico announced the start of the second stage of poultry vaccination before the outbreak of avian influenza AH7N3, which has led to the culling of nearly 11 million birds.The National Service of Health, Food Safety and Quality (Senasica) announced in a statement that the second stage will begin this week on farms in the region of Los Altos, Jalisco, and provides for the application of 90 million additional doses to 88.3 million applied in the first phase.Additionally, we have a reserve bank of 53 million vaccines and viral seeds for greater production if necessary, according to the director of Senasica, Enrique Sanchez Cruz.He also revealed that as of this month begins the repopulation of laying hens and will be around five million birds that enter monthly empty poultry units in which the agency intervened.He explained that this move will gradually restore egg production that was before the outbreak of avian influenza.To eradicate the virus from poultry farms, SENASICA, working with producers, has made stamping 10.9 million birds from 19 June to 20 August.In making an assessment of the first phase of combat the outbreak, Sanchez explained that this figure must be added corresponding to the measures applied by the poultry before the announcement of the presence of the virus to the authorities and the subsequent voluntary sacrifice made by own poultry farmers to protect their flocks.To date, there have been sampled in 438 production units in 45 municipalities of Los Altos, and only 43 of them (commercial farms posture) have tested positive for AH7N3 virus.The official reported that the program has strengthened epidemiological surveillance in the area and have been tested on farms in 22 of the 32 states of the country, with negative results.For now, the outbreak is localized exclusively in the highlands of Jalisco, said.The bird flu epidemic has caused an increase in the price of eggs and chicken meat in the domestic market, so that the authorities are considering reducing import tariffs on these products at competitive prices.Sanchez said the measures in support of the Secretariat of Economy to normalize the supply of eggs, has issued two weeks ago the health requirements to be met by producing countries that want to market their product in Mexico at this juncture of AH7N3.The National Poultry Union reported today that the increase in the price of a kilo of eggs is due primarily to the depopulation that caused the outbreak of avian influenza in Jalisco and the increase in the prices of corn and soybean meal used by the poultry industry to feed the birds.  http://noticierostelevisa.esmas.com/nacional/490001/sacrifican-11-millones-aves-gripe-aviar-jalisco/