Unknown avian virus strikes poultry farms in Nepal

September 2014 – Bhaktapur, NEPAL – Poultry farmers of Bhaktapur district are once again worried after mysterious disease started killing adult fowls. An epidemic of unknown disease has hit farms of Broiler poultry for the past one month. The disease which has not been yet identified has caused nervousness among poultry keepers, said poultry entrepreneur Laxman Gwachha. The new disease shares the symptoms of the Newcastle disease. The Bhaktapur poultry farmers, who had been adversely affected by the outbreak of bird flu in the district a year ago, are worried as the mysterious disease is again likely to ruin their business.

Live fowls have also lost their weight. Chickens completing 30-35 days are dying due to the unknown disease. Generally, they become ready for supplying in 45-50 days of rearing. The farmers visited the District Livestock Service Office and Central Livestock Research Centre with the dead fowls for test, but in vain. –EK