Telangana govt collects samples from poultry farms

The Animal Husbandry department has collected as many as 1,256 samples from poultry farms across the State and sent them to Telangana State Veterinary Biological Research Institute here to test for bird flu.

“As of now, we have not detected any case in Telangana, but as a precautionary measure, we are collecting serum samples of birds from all the poultries in the State,” Animal Husbandry Director Vangala Lakshma Reddy told. 

The sample collection will continue for the next few days to cover 580 mandals in the State where poultry farms exist.

If necessary, the samples would be sent to another lab in Bengaluru and also to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal for a detailed examination, he said, adding that the department has so far constituted 1,300 teams to collect samples from poultries.

Telangana has not found even one case in poultries as most owners not only adopt the best



practice but are also administering 16 types of vaccines at the farms to protect birds from diseases. However, the department issued an alert requesting the District Collectors concerned and veterinary doctors in all districts to keep a watch on poultries.

“We have asked the veterinary doctors to examine the birds that are sick and conduct a post-mortem after the death of any bird,” he said, adding that district officials have also been asked to keep a watch on migratory birds also. So far, there has been no death of migratory birds in the State due to bird flu, he said.

Lakshma Reddy said the chances of bird flu entering the State was almost remote because of the scientific approach adopted in poultries. Poultries in Telangana produce eight crore eggs every day and supply them to Odisha, West Bengal and north-eastern States.

“Our poultries are role models for other States in the country,” Reddy added.