By Kefiloe Kajane
Thousands of layers were lost this week in two farms in the districts of Maseru and Leribe, causing massive financial loss to the owners.
The huge losses were a result of a bird flu outbreak that had infected the birds after they were imported into the country from an undisclosed farm in Parys, South Africa.
Avian influenza is a highly contagious disease of poultry and wild birds. It seldom affects humans and other animals.
A farm located at Ha Penapena in Maseru first reported high mortalities in birds and a significant drop in egg production. Similar conditions had also hit another chicken farm in the Leribe district.
On average, a fully grown chicken costs M80.
This week the department of livestock’s director general veterinary services Doctor Relebohile Mahloane, told theReporter that the farm in Leribe lost 26 000 in chickens while the one in Maseru saw a loss of 3 000 layers.
Mahloane said apart from these farms, other farmers also reported suspected incidences of the airborne viral infection, but tests conducted by the department of livestock services came out negative.
Since the outbreak, importation and exportation of poultry products has been banned until by the department until further notice.
“Currently, we only buy from selected farms and even then we make sure that they show us their test certificates that are not more than 30 days old. We encourage poultry farmers to report to us immediately when they notice signs like a purple comb, high mortality of 90-100 percent, sneezing, coughing diarrhoea or nervous signs from the birds.
“We have so far disinfected the places where the chickens were housed and buried all the chickens that had contact with the infected ones. We also make sure to bury the food that they contacted,” he said.
Mahloane added: “wild birds are the carriers of the virus because sometimes they come to a farm to feed then fly off with the virus and spread it.”
As a preventive measure the department ensures that when there is a reported case, the rest of the stock that was in contact with those infected are killed. This, he insisted, was to avoid further contraction of the disease.
These comes after the department of livestock released a statement last week indicating that it received a report of high mortality of layers with over 500 birds dead in a mixed farm located at Ha Penapena on May 28.
The department said its veterinarian went to the farm to investigate on the same day, which was followed by another visit by a team of veterinarians the next day.
Based on the history, clinical signs and post –mortem findings, avian influenza which is bird flu was suspected.
“Samples were collected and submitted to the central veterinary laboratory where the real-time polymerase chain reaction was conducted and confirmed and outbreak of the Notifiable Avian Influenza. The department of Livestock Services is at an advanced stage of sending samples for patho-typing and N-typing to LGC Genomics in Germany and Onderstepoort Veterinary Research Institute in Pretoria, South Africa.
“The department has taken the measures with immediate effect to curb the spread of the disease by disinfecting and decontamination, official disposal of carcasses, placing the effected farm and surrounding areas (10 km radius) under quarantine with immediate effect, and banning of exportation of poultry products from the borders of Lesotho and also tracing of contact farms,” the statement read.
The department and all concerned will continue monitoring and assessing the situation and will inform the public about any changes.
