An outbreak of bird flu at poultry farms in Rogaland was threatening thousands of chickens this week. All 35,000 chickens raised by one farmer in Klepp had to be destroyed and neighbouring farms were on guard.
State authorities from the food and livestock regulator Mattilsynet were on the scene and monitoring poultry farms closely. The outbreak could spread quickly, they feared, and strict routines were in place to disinfect all poultry transport vehicles in the area.
“If we get bird flu into commercial operations it will have grave consequences,” one farmer told state broadcaster NRK. “There are lots of chicken coops in Rogaland, and it’s an intensive business. If the flu spreads there won’t be chicken in the stores. That’s why we need to be strict about this.”
There are around 100 poultry farms in the two zones targeted in Rogaland, home to around 30 percent of Norway’s egg and chicken producers.
newsinenglish.no staff
