The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) will soon conduct random laboratory tests on farms surrounding a poultry farm in a Nueva Ecija town where about 40,000 birds were culled, according to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol.
Piñol issued the statement after receiving reports that “at least 40,000 birds” were culled in a poultry farm in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, by the owner. He also said he has ordered the implementation of the Department of Agricultures (DA’s) revised avian-influenza (AI) protocol in the area as a preventive measure.
“The [agriculture secretary] commends the farm owner and the local veterinary officials for their vigilance. While waiting for confirmatory tests, they took it upon themselves to act,” he said in a statement on Monday.
“This is the kind of spirit that we need. There is, therefore, no reason to be alarmed. Also, the DA-BAI will now be implementing new protocols in handling cases like this,” Piñol added.
Under the revised AI protocol, the DA-BAI will only conduct culling operations in bird flu-affected farms. The DA has removed the 1-kilometer control area and the 7-km quarantine radius.
“Other farms surrounding the area will be subjected to random tests. [And] there will be no curtailment in the movement of stocks,” he said.
“These new protocols are in line with international standards and approved by the industry stakeholders during the last [Philippine Council on Agriculture Fisheries] meeting. The DA is in full and complete control and necessary safeguards are in place,” Piñol added.
A news report said on Monday workers in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, culled some 42,000 birds, but local officials were mum on the incident. The culled birds were raised in Barangay Concepcion.
Local officials could not comment on the incident because under the AI Protection Program. Manual of Procedures of 2016, only the DA chief may announce that bird flu struck an area, upon the recommendation of the BAI-Animal Health and Welfare Division.
The reported culling of birds was done just weeks before the Philippines is expected to notify the World Animal Health Organization, or the OIE, that is already bird flu-free.
Earlier, the BAI said it is planning to notify OIE that the Philippines is already bird flu-free by December 20, more than four months after the virus was discovered in some towns in
Central Luzon.
“International bodies like the OIE [requires official report] so we can regain our bird flu-free status. Our target is to inform them by December 20,” BAI Officer in Charge Ronnie D. Domingo told reporters in an interview on the sidelines of the launching of the DA Karne, Isda, Supply Suporta sa Masama at Ekonomiya project on November 8.
“We will inform them that we have already conducted disinfection procedures and have controlled the movement of animals,” Domingo added.