The Ministry of Agriculture has announced the slaughter of nearly 800,000 birds in the South West to fight against bird flu. A second series in less than a year.
To great ills, great remedies. From January 5, nearly 8,000,000 farmed birds will be slaughtered in the Southwest as a preventive measure. The measure, announced by the Ministry of Agriculture, aims to stop the spread of avian flu in the region. 150 municipalities are targeted by these measures. In total, these are 95 homes which have been identified since the end of November. The majority of cases are concentrated in the Gers and the Landes, where the situation continues to evolve.
The H5N8 virus did not catch the health authorities by surprise. And yet, despite multiple protective measures, this highly pathogenic strain continues to circulate. Thus, “an area concentrating the majority of the last confirmed outbreaks (…) is not yet stabilized”, recognizes the Ministry of Agriculture. Faced with this influenza avian very contagious, the administration deployed the great means.
Distress calls
From January 5 to 20, slaughtering operations will be carried out in 150 municipalities in the southwest fixed by decree. Animals, even healthy ones, will be slaughtered according to specific conditions. a second arrested aims to ensure that “the necessary precautions are taken to reduce animal suffering until killing”. A delicate precaution which may mean very little for breeders. Especially since they have already been faced with a crawl space the previous year.
“Last year, we received several emergency calls,” confirms Anne-Laure Maldiney, of the Mutualité Société Agricole (MSA). Contacted by Why actor, the coordinator of the cell for the prevention of malaise in agriculture at the MSA Midi-Pyrénées-Sud specifies that the structure has sent letters to the affected prefectures. They list the professionals who can help breeders in difficulty.
Emptied farms
The logging will be carried out in two phases: first in the 3 km protection zone, then in the 10 km surveillance zone if the measures have proved ineffective. The buildings will then be cleaned and disinfected. A crawl space that does not bear its name, in short. “The difficulty mainly relates to the slaughter of animals that are not sick,” explains Anne-Laure Maldiney. Farmers understand that this targets sick animals, but it is more difficult for healthy animals to accept. “In fact, working for this outcome is discouraging…
In addition, there are major financial difficulties that risk threatening the balance of many farmers. And while seizures are not uncommon, those of this type can easily tip over. “The specificity is the notion of urgency that emerges when a farmer is in difficulty,” admits Anne-Laure Maldiney. Psychologists, social workers and nurses can then support the caller in distress. A precious help for these professionals who are often geographically and socially isolated.
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