“Bird Flu Outbreak in Argentina Jeopardizes Chicken Production: Debate on Vaccination and Biosafety Protocols Intensifies”

The bird flu continues to jeopardize the entire production of chickens. This Friday a positive case in a commercial farm located in General Racedo, Entre Ríos, the main Argentine province in terms of production of this dietary protein.

The confirmation of the National Food and Agriculture Health Service (SENASA) put the entire agro-industrial chain of the product in the country on alert. Biosafety protocols are being reinforced implemented since February 15, when the health emergency was declared in our country.

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100 days after the voluntary declaration of emergency in Argentina, within this agro-industrial chain it is debated if it is opportune to vaccinate millions of birds at risk.

With contrasting looks, the Argentine Chamber of Poultry Producers (CAPIA)which brings together the egg producers requested to vaccinate; and the Center for Poultry Processing Companies (CEPA)which brings together the sector producer of chickens they said that no because it would affect the exports.

Until this Saturday there were 528 notifications. 98 were confirmed, the majority in wild and backyard animals, and 17 from commercial production.

The disease has already been detected in 17 provinces and affected the supply and price of chicken: in recent weeks smaller animals have been sold, to get them out of the farms quickly, and that reduced the supply.

The SENASA National Laboratory reported the diagnosis of a positive case of avian influenza (AI) H5, among the samplings carried out even in the Sanitary Control Zones. Of the 98 detections of the disease throughout the country, 72 are closed outbreaks (73.4%), that is, they no longer have the disease.

In this frame, SENASA reinforced the controls that had been implemented and alerted the productive sectors about the need to strengthen biosecurity measures, under the strict protocols with which farms have been working since the first case.

In the last week, between May 13 and 19, the Senasa National Laboratory reported 4 positive cases in backyard birds in the provinces of Chaco (Puerto Tirol) and Córdoba (Buchardo) and (Jovita), and the remaining Mentioned in Entre Ríos.

The confirmed cases until this Friday are in backyard birds (75), commercial sector (16) and wild (7), distributed as follows: 23 in Buenos Aires21 in Córdoba12 in Neuquen9 in Santa Fe7 in Black river7 in chubut, 4 in Chaco2 and Formosa2 in saint Louis2 in The Pampa2 in currents2 Santa Cruz1 in Jujuy1 in Santiago del Estero1 in Salta1 in Mendoza and 1 in Between rivers.

Los closed buds There are 72 out of 98 detections in different provinces:

Buenos Aires: Bahía Blanca (wild birds), Azul, Puán, San Cayetano, Tres Lomas, Chapaleufu, Francisco Berra; General Madariaga, Pedro Luro, Conesa, General Belgrano, Tordillo (3) and Las Flores (backyard birds) and General Alvear (commercial farm);

Córdoba: Las Mojarras (wild birds), Alejandro Roca, Alejo Ledesma, Baldisera, Carnerillo, Del Campillo, General Levalle (2), Idiazabal Unión, Los Álvarez, Los Morteritos, San José, La Dormida, Buchardo, Villa del Rosario, Colonia Leguizamón, Jovita, Toledo and La Cautiva (backyard birds) and El Espinillo (commercial farm);

Jujuy: Pozuelos Lagoon (wild birds); Neuquén: Laguna Blanca and San Patricio del Chañar (wild birds), Añelo, Plottier, Chapua and Las Lajas (4) (backyard birds); Río Negro: Choele Choel, Mainque (2) and Guardia Miter (backyard);

Saint Louis: Alto Pencoso and Santa Rosa de Conlara (backyard birds);

Santa Fe: Rye, Dead Deer, Zenon Pereira, Grutly, Totora, Rufino and Villa Canes (transfer birds); Jump: Cerrillos (birds of prey);

Santiago del Estero: Beltran (backyard birds);

Chaco: Avia Terai (2) (backyard birds);

Formosa: Colonia Alba (backyard birds); La Pampa: Trenel and Toay (backyard birds);

Chubut: Trevelin and Rawson (backyard birds); and Sarmiento (wild birds);

Santa Cruz: November 28 (wild birds).

Currents: San Cosme (backyard birds).