Avian โขFlu Strikesโฃ Brescia Turkey Farm, Triggering Mass Cull and Regional Alert
Brescia, Italy – Aโฃ highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak has been confirmed โขat a turkey farm in Seniga, Brescia province, promptingโค the culling of โข34,000 birds as authorities โคscramble toโ contain the โคspread of the virus. The outbreak, detected October 30th, is the latest in a series of โconcerning cases across Lombardy, raising fears forโ the region’s notable poultry industry.
The firstโ Lombardy case โemerged October 27th on a turkey farm in Cremona, โfollowed by โขan outbreak at aโข pheasant farm inโ Lodi on October 28th.Theโ Seniga farm is now atโค theโค center of intensive โpreventative measures.
Local health authority (ATS) Brescia has implemented strict biosecurity protocols, establishing a 3-kilometer protectionโค zone encompassingโ the municipalities of Alfianello, โขMilzano, and Pralboino. A wider surveillance zone extends to farms in Bassano โBresciano, Cigole, Gambara, Gottolengo, Leno, Manerbio, Pavone Del Mella, Pontevico, San โคGervasio โBresciano, andโข Verolanuova.
Brescia is a critical hubโ for Italian poultry production,housing over โค360 farms and nearly 10.4 million birds โข- approximately โคhalf of Lombardy’s total output and 7% of national production. The industry is still reeling from a similar avian flu epidemic in 2017-2018, which resulted โขin losses of around 10 million euros.
Farmers are urged โฃto prioritize biosecurity measures, closely monitorโ animal health, and promptly reportโค any โsuspected symptoms to minimizeโ furtherโ economic โคdamage andโ prevent wider transmission.