Bird flu alarm in Saxony-Anhalt: mandatory stables for 40,000 animals!

Bird flu alarm in Saxony-Anhalt: mandatory stables for 40,000 animals!

Bird flu is spreading in Saxony-Anhalt and is causing great excitement among poultry farmers. In a worrying move, eight districts and independent cities have made it mandatory for poultry to be kept in stables. Those affected include the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel region, the Börde district and the Mansfeld-Südharz district. Agriculture Minister Sven Schulze urgently appeals to private bird and poultry farmers to conscientiously follow the authorities' instructions. This also applies to reporting the reasons why other municipalities have not imposed a stable requirement. n-tv reports.

The situation is serious: last week more than 1,500 dead cranes were found at the reservoir in Kelbra, which the Friedrich Loeffler Institute linked to the highly dangerous H5N1 virus. The first cases of deceased birds are seen as a further indication of the serious threat posed by avian influenza. Meanwhile, around 40,000 laying hens are to be killed at a farm in the Mansfeld-Südharz district after suspicion of bird flu was raised. For this purpose, a special company was commissioned to euthanize the entire population. However, confirmation of this suspicion is still pending, as Focus confirms Focus reports.

Precautionary measures and stable requirement

For the affected poultry farmers, the enacted stable requirement means that their animals must be kept in closed stables or under secured facilities. In total, over 4,000 poultry farmers in Saxony-Anhalt are affected, which brings additional challenges in the agricultural sector. Particularly acute measures are also being implemented in the city of Magdeburg and the Jerichower Land district to prevent further introduction of the virus into the stocks.

In order to contain the possible spread of avian influenza, exhibitions, markets and similar events involving poultry and pigeons were also prohibited. “The alert among the responsible authorities is high,” emphasizes Schulze, while praising the constant exchange between the institutions. Visible signs of bird flu should be reported immediately to the health and veterinary office so that rapid action can be taken. The calls to the population are clear: “Do not touch sick or dead wild birds!”

Comprehensive threat

In the regions affected by the stable requirement, it's not just cranes that are affected. There are confirmed and suspected cases in various areas, including a goshawk and two buzzards, which are also linked to the virus. The pressure on poultry farmers is increasing and the instructions from the authorities must be strictly followed to stop the spread of this highly contagious disease. The situation remains tense and a solution to combat bird flu is essential to ensure the health of livestock in the region.