'Avoid throwing dead birds in the open or face action'

Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Department (L&DDD) has taken serious notice of certain poultry farms' practice of disposing of disease-affected dead birds in the open, instead of properly burying them. The department has asked the Punjab's Pakistan Poultry Association to urge its members to ensure burial of the dead birds and other material of hatcheries properly.
It also directed all district livestock officers of the province to visit all hatcheries and poultry farms to apprise them about the issue. The department has asked the poultry farmers to earmark a separate place along with their farms for burial of such birds and material, sources told Business Recorder here on Saturday.
They said that the Punjab's Secretary (Livestock) in a letter to the PPA-Punjab chairman has pointed out that officials of the department during their field visits and inspections of poultry farms, had found that some poultry farms had developed the practice of throwing the diseased dead birds in the open. "This exposure and its vulnerability with reference to its taking away by the stray animals and birds become obvious. In this way, we are adding to the existing mechanism for spread of disease which, ultimately, causes financial losses to others for no fault of theirs," the letter warned.
The letter pointed out that it has been decided that in future no such dead bird/remains of hatched/un-hatched eggs and infertile eggs should be disposed of in the open, besides each member of the Association will be required to ensure burial of the dead birds and above mentioned material of hatcheries. The district administration of each district and Environment Department are also being moved on this issue," the letter noted.
It was also pointed out in the letter that since it has been observed that some of the hatcheries sell/dispose of the unfertile eggs, they may be advised to desist from this illegal practice to avoid any action. Stressing an urgent action on the issue, the letter also asked all the livestock district officers to apprise the poultry farmers about the seriousness of the issue by visiting their hatcheries and poultry farms. The officers have also been asked to ensure that no dead bird/subject material of hatcheries was transported.