NAMAKKAL: Following a statewide advisory issued by the state government after avian influenza was detected among birds and unusual bird deaths were reported in certain parts of the state, poultry farms in Namakkal district have intensified biosecurity measures as a precautionary step.
Although no outbreak has been reported in the district, farm owners and authorities are taking additional safeguards to prevent any possible threat to the poultry hub, which plays a crucial role in egg production and exports.
Officials said Namakkal's poultry sector remains on alert due to the highly contagious nature of avian influenza and the potential risk of transmission through movement of people, vehicles and materials. As part of preventive measures, sanitation activities have been strengthened, entry into poultry farms has been restricted, and monitoring has been tightened across the district to ensure that the controlled farm environment is not compromised.
Valsan Parameswaran, secretary of the All India Poultry Product Exporters Association, said that while biosecurity measures are strictly followed throughout the year, extra caution is exercised whenever advisories or alerts are issued. He said poultry farmers, farm owners and officials collectively step up preventive efforts to ensure that the rapidly spreading disease does not affect the Namakkal poultry belt.
"Sanitation is being carried out regularly at poultry farms, with the entry of personnel strictly restricted and new visitors prohibited. Vehicles entering farm premises are being thoroughly disinfected, and all operations are conducted in accordance with norms prescribed by the veterinary college and department of animal husbandry," he said.
Poultry owners in the region say the frequency of sanitation has been increased, with disinfection now being done once a week instead of once every 15 days. They added that, since eggs from Namakkal are regularly exported, farms are mandated to follow multiple layers of biosecurity protocols, including stringent hygiene and monitoring practices.
A poultry owner from Tiruppur said, "These biosecurity measures are maintained throughout the year in our farms, and there is no potential threat of bird flu, like in Chennai, as poultry farms are operated in a strictly controlled environment."
A senior official from the animal husbandry department in Namakkal said veterinary doctors are conducting regular inspections at poultry farms. "Under normal circumstances, inspections are carried out once every 10 to 15 days. If any emergency arises, inspections will be conducted daily," the official said.