130,000 Poultry to Be Culled in germany Amid Avian Flu Outbreak
Berlin – Authorities are preparing to cull approximately 130,000 poultry in Germany as a highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, spreads across the country. The mass culling, intended to prevent further transmission of the virus, is underway at affected farms and will involve a carefully controlled process utilizing carbon dioxide gas.
The outbreak poses a significant threat to Germany’s poultry industry and raises concerns about potential economic repercussions for farmers. Experts emphasize that swift action is crucial to contain the virus and protect both animal and public health. The culled birds will be disposed of in specialized facilities to prevent any risk of contamination entering the food chain.
The process begins with the introduction of a gas mixture of argon and carbon dioxide into the poultry houses, explained expert Gesine Reinking. “The gas cartridges state ‘Argon Carbon Dioxide’,” she noted. This initial phase utilizes a low concentration of carbon dioxide to induce a state of anesthesia in the birds, functioning as a chemical narcotic. As the concentration increases, the animals are exposed to a higher level, ultimately leading to their death while remaining unconscious.
Wolfgang Schleicher, Managing Director of the German Poultry Association, detailed the procedure: “At the beginning of the introduction, the CO concentration is low. This phase serves to anesthetize the animals. As the CO introduction continues and increases, the concentration in the barn rises. The animals are exposed to this increased concentration in a stunned state and killed by the higher CO concentration.”
Following the gassing, the birds are loaded into sealed containers and transported by truck to a rendering plant. Reinking stressed the importance of secure containment during transport, stating, “The truck must be well sealed so that the virus does not escape from the truck on the way to the animal carcass disposal facility and spread further.”
At the rendering plant, the carcasses will be incinerated – a process referred to as “rendering harmless” – to eliminate any infectious risk and prevent entry into the food supply. While the process is undeniably grim, Reinking argues it is the most humane option for the affected animals. “The animals would suffer a painful death from avian flu. That would be much worse than dying this way,” she said.
