Poultry exhibiting symptoms such as tremors, seizures, and white feces before dying in large numbers has left many livestock farmers in Quang Ngai Province empty-handed.

Quang Ngai people have suffered losses of tens to hundreds of millions of VND because their poultry flocks have contracted the A/H5N1 flu. Photo: L.K.

Recently, many poultry farmers in Tu Nghia District (Quang Ngai) have been deeply concerned about the resurgence of the H5N1 avian influenza virus, which has caused the deaths of thousands of poultry. Entire flocks of chickens and ducks that had not yet been sold had to be culled, resulting in losses ranging from tens to hundreds of millions of VND for the affected farmers.

Three months ago, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Kim Van (resident of La Ha 3 Village, Nghia Thuong Commune, Tu Nghia District) spent VND 30 million to buy 1,100 ducklings. As the ducks were nearing market readiness, over 200 of them suddenly showed symptoms like cloudy eyes, seizures, and white feces before dying in large numbers.

After reporting the situation to local authorities and submitting samples for testing, the results confirmed that her flock was positive for the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The remaining ducks were subsequently culled to prevent the spread of the disease.

The households’ cages were empty because the disease caused poultry to die and be destroyed. Photo: L.K.

“Under normal circumstances, if these ducks had remained healthy, I could have sold them for VND 130,000–140,000 each, earning nearly VND 100 million. But now, I’ve lost everything, and my family is struggling to cope, as we still owe VND 20 million for feed. I sincerely hope the authorities will provide some support so we can continue farming and sustain our livelihood,” shared Mrs. Van.

Similarly, Mr. Nguyen Phuong (resident of Phu Nhuan Village, Nghia Thuan Commune, Tu Nghia District) is also distraught after losing his entire flock of 500 ducks, which he had been raising for over two months.

Mr. Phuong said, “When I first bought the ducklings, I cleaned the coop thoroughly and vaccinated the entire flock to ensure safety. However, just before selling them to traders, all 500 ducks began trembling, having white diarrhea, and then died in large numbers. After reporting the case to the veterinary authorities in Nghia Thuan Commune for inspection and testing, I learned that my ducks had contracted the H5N1 avian influenza virus.”

“To raise this flock, I bought 100 sacks of feed at a cost of about 45 million VND. Adding in the cost of the ducklings, the losses are significant. I hope that in the future, Nghia Thuan veterinary authorities and the Tu Nghia District Department of Agriculture and Rural Development can organize training sessions to teach us proper techniques and how to prevent diseases in our livestock,” Mr. Phuong added.

The current hot weather with thunderstorms is a favorable condition for the A/H5N1 flu virus to arise and spread. Photo: L.K.

According to the People’s Committee of Tu Nghia district, in the face of the complicated situation of H5N1 avian influenza in the area, the district has directed localities as well as related units to strengthen monitoring to detect outbreaks early, and coordinate with the district’s Agricultural Service Center to promptly handle outbreaks according to regulations.

Mr. Tran Thien Thanh, Vice Chairman of the Tu Nghia District People’s Committee, said that the district has directed functional units to promptly prevent the sale or slaughter of infected poultry to minimize the risk of spread. Efforts are underway to expedite the first phase of the 2023 avian influenza vaccination campaign and to carry out regular vaccinations for poultry according to their age using vaccines distributed by the district.

“We have assigned the district’s Agricultural Service Center to promptly distribute avian influenza vaccines and disinfectant chemicals to communes and towns to conduct vaccinations and carry out environmental sanitation. At the same time, they are tasked with monitoring and taking samples from symptomatic poultry for testing to determine the cause,” Mr. Thanh said.

Mr. Do Van Chung, Head of the Quang Ngai Livestock and Veterinary Sub-Department, noted that the current hot weather combined with thunderstorms creates favorable conditions for the H5N1 virus to develop and spread. Moreover, many farmers remain complacent, failing to vaccinate their flocks properly, which weakens their livestock’s immunity and increases the risk of outbreaks.

“The awareness of farmers regarding vaccinations and compliance with disease prevention measures is crucial. To control and eliminate H5N1, each household must adopt biosecurity farming practices, keep their coops clean, and ensure that the sources of their poultry are known before raising them.

Farmers should also provide their poultry with adequate vitamin supplements and ensure they are fully vaccinated. If there are any unusual signs in their livestock, they must report it immediately to veterinary staff or local authorities for prompt action. Under no circumstances should infected poultry be slaughtered, transported, or sold to prevent widespread transmission,” Mr. Chung emphasized.

Source: Le Khanh
Vietnam Agriculture Newspaper