400,000 chickens, turkeys and emus euthanized as bird flu spreads in Australia

The Australian state of Victoria has had to euthanize huge numbers of poultry, among them thousands of baby chicks, in a bid to stem the spread of the bird influenza. Choosing between bad and worse, poultry farmers in Victoria have decimated their livestock, with a whopping 400,000 turkeys, chickens, and emus (2,000 babies too) being killed out of fear they could be a great risk of transmitting the contagion. The Victorian Farmers Federation Egg Group said that the loss would be devastating for both large and small producers “not just emotionally but financially as well.” Australia’s Agriculture Minister David Littleproud responded with sympathy to the news, assuring that the government understands “the impact of the difficult decisions that need to be made.” Meanwhile, at least eight countries have temporarily banned the import of Victorian poultry products as the state’s outbreak of bird flu continues...MORE