Argentina: Eliminate 11,000 laying hens in Neuquén due to bird flu

After the National Agri-Food Health and Quality Service (Senasa) confirmed a positive case of avian influenza (AI) H5 in birds from a commercial farm in Senillosa, in the province of Neuquén, some 11,000 laying hens will be slaughtered, according to Marcos. Lauge, director of Livestock and Animal Health of that province. This is the second case in birds from the commercial sector in Patagonia after the detection last week in Mainqué, Río Negro, where more than 180,000 broiler chickens were slaughtered. Although the official figure has not yet been reported by Senasa, the Neuquén Ministry of Production and Industry indicated that some 11,000 birds will be stamped out. It is the fourth case detected in Neuquén: the first three occurred in Zapala, Las Lajas and San Patricio del Chañar, although in wild and backyard birds. In the town of Zapala, it was a coot (Fulica armillata) found dead in Laguna Blanca, 38 km from that city, while last weekend a backyard bird tested positive in an ...