The Jakarta Post, Makassar Wed, January 09 2013,
More than 25,500 fowl have died in Sidenreng Rappang (Sidrap) regency in South Sulawesi over the past month. The number is believed to be increasing.
Sidrap Husbandry Agency head Asis Syam said on Tuesday that the actual number could be higher as it was possible that many farmers had not yet filed reports with the agency.
“The dead fowl were positive for bird flu,” he added.
Of the 25,500 dead fowl, most were ducks (21,100). More than 4,000 were chickens.
Sidrap regency is one of the biggest poultry producers in South Sulawesi and has previously experienced a bird flu epidemic. Hundreds of fowl die of bird flu every year in the regency.
According to the agency, the fowl population stood at 7.3 million.
Asis said the agency had called on farmers to immediately burn the carcasses of dead fowl, adding that the agency did not have enough vaccines to inoculate the fowl.
“We still need around 7.3 million vaccines,” he pointed out.
wo 9 jan 2013 - 22:28