Bird flu rocks chicken layer flock

AN OUTBREAK of bird flu has wiped out more than 15 per cent of South Africa’s layer hens. This has resulted in the prospect of hefty price increases due to the resultant shortage in table eggs.

According to South African Poultry Association (SAPA), the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N8 in chickens was detected in South Africa for the first time in late June in Mpumalanga, but has since spread to other provinces.

Dr Charlotte Nkuna, who is the interim CEO of SAPA said the estimate is that more than 4 million chickens have been or are in the process of being culled.

“This includes almost four million layers, 360 000 broiler breeders and just over 31 000 layer breeders,” Nkuna added.. In addition more than 23 commercial farms have already been affected.

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According to agricultural economist, Prof Johan Willemse, the shortage of table eggs could lift prices by 15 to 20 per cent. “Furthermore, as things stand, it can take anything from one to two years for the layer flock to return to levels they were before the bird flu outbreak, which means a prolonged shortage of eggs,” Willemse said.

Nkuna said, “We anticipate that it will take an average of six months for the farms to be repopulated, some maybe sooner and others preferring to wait a bit longer. This also depends on the available funds to be able to buy the replacement stocks.”

According to Nkuna, there are some that are considering importing table eggs. However, the cost of air transport makes it somewhat uneconomical.

Liana Steenkamp from agricultural group Laeveld Agrochem said the H5N8 strain, which is usually spread by wild birds, does not pose a direct threat to humans.

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“First we had higher feed prices the last two seasons because of the drought, followed by the increased import of chicken. And now the devastating impact of the highly contagious H5N8 bird flu,” Steenkamp added.

Steenkamp said the mass culling of laying hens will also affect South Africa’s export of table eggs to neighbouring countries like Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Direct job losses due to the bird flu have already risen above 1 000, with further losses expected in secondary sectors.

South Africa’s broiler and egg producers, in Rand terms, contributed 18 per cent of all agricultural production and 39 per cent of all animal products in 2016. Approximately 76 per cent of the birds in the South African poultry industry are used for meat production, while the remaining 24 per cent are used in the egg industry.