No need for concern over bird flu outbreak, but exports could suffer

eSwatini could follow Lesotho and other neighbours’ lead to ban poultry imports from South Africa amid a second outbreak of the avian influenza virus, this time in the North West province.

About 14,000 broiler breeder birds were culled following a second outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5 virus was detected at a broiler breeder farm in the province. The mortalities are with the Onderstepoort Veterinary Research Institute for analysis and sequencing, the South African Poultry Association (Sapa) said.

This was the latest detected outbreak following an earlier case on a farm in the East Rand, which resulted in the culling of 240,000 hens, with a replacement cost of R20 million.

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There is no need for alarm though, according to Sapa interim general manager Colin Steenhuisen.

“The farm which culled 240,000 hens represents 1% of the national flock, which is 27 million hens. While it is a tragedy for the farm concerned, there are more than enough hens in South Africa to carry on producing eggs. With the 14,000 broilers culled at the moment is a drop in the bucket as far as broiler breeders are concerned.”

Since the reported outbreaks, Namibia, Mozambique and Botswana have banned imports of poultry products from South Africa, with Lesotho the latest to ban eggs from Gauteng.

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This, however, was normal practice and nothing out of the ordinary, Steenhuisen said. This is because the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) issues a notification to countries of such outbreaks, giving states the liberty to ban importats, he explained.

Only parts of the South African industry were affected, he said.

“Namibia banned products in compartments, for example, somewhere in the East Rand or North West province. Botswana is following suit and is releasing compartments not subject to avian influenza and permitting companies to import from compartments which do not contain the outbreak. Mozambique has imposed a total ban on all poultry products. With Lesotho, it’s eggs from Gauteng only,” he said.

Swaziland is considering joining the list but is in talks with the director of animal health at the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Dr Mpho Maja.

The ban will, however, mean stock would be distributed back into the country and will remain here until the borders are reopened.

Steenhuisen was confident the industry was prepared for another outbreak following the disastrous 2017 highly pathogenic case which lost 4.7 million birds and 700,000 broiler breeds, leading to an egg shortage.

The disease, which is spread by contact, is mainly spread by wild water birds migrating back north to warmer weather.

“These birds are migrating and land somewhere overnight or on a farm. This is mainly spread through wild migrating birds at this stage,” Steenhuisen said.

rorisangk@citizen.co.za