130,000 โฃPoultry to Be Culled in germany Amid Avian Flu Outbreak
Berlin – Authorities are โpreparing to cull approximately 130,000 โฃpoultry in Germany as a highly pathogenic avian influenza, โcommonly known as bird flu, spreads across the country. The mass culling, intended to preventโฃ further transmission of the virus, is underwayโ atโค affected farms and will involve a carefully controlled process utilizing carbon dioxide gas.
Theโ outbreak poses a significantโ threat to Germany’s poultry industry and raises concerns about potential economic repercussionsโ for farmers. โExperts emphasize that swift action is crucial to contain the virus โฃand protect both animal and public health. โThe โculled birds will be disposed of in specialized facilities to prevent any risk โof contamination enteringโ the โfood โchain.
The process begins with the introduction of a โgas mixture of argon and carbon dioxide intoโฃ the poultry houses, explained expert Gesine Reinking. “The gas cartridges state ‘Argon Carbon Dioxide’,” she noted. This initial phase โutilizes aโ low concentration of carbon dioxide to induceโ a state of anesthesiaโฃ in the birds, functioning as a chemical โคnarcotic. As the concentration increases, the animals are exposed to a higher level, ultimately leading to their death whileโฃ remaining unconscious.
Wolfgang Schleicher, Managing Directorโ of the โขGerman Poultryโ Association, detailed the procedure: “At the beginning of the introduction, the CO concentration is low.โ This phase serves to โขanesthetize โฃthe animals. As the CO โintroduction continues and increases, the concentration in the barn rises. The animals are exposed to this increased concentration in a stunned state andโข killed by the higher CO concentration.”
Following the gassing, the birds are loaded into sealed containers and transported โby truck to a rendering plant. Reinking stressed the importance of secure โคcontainment during transport, stating, “Theโ truck must โขbe well sealed so that the virus does notโค escape from theโ truck on the way to โthe animalโค carcass disposal facility and spread further.”
At โthe rendering plant, the carcasses willโ 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 deathโ from avian flu. That would be much worse than dying thisโ way,” she said.
