Poultry farmers in Hesse are worried, but hope bird flu will not spread to other farms. At the weekend, the entire flock of birds at a poultry farm in Rockenberg (Wetteraukreis) had to be killed after the virus was detected there. According to the district, there are more than 2,600 Animal. The aim of this culling is to contain disease.
There is now a three-kilometer protection zone around the company where all companies are inspected, according to the district. In the surveillance zone with a radius of ten kilometers, companies are monitored more closely.
“Now it still hits”
Poultry Industry Association Hesse hope to stay with this company. With stable terms, the shares are actually relatively well protected, said managing director Inga John of the German Press Agency. “It still hits now.” The most important thing now is that farmers – apart from guarding the pen – also pay attention to their own biosecurity. This includes wearing protective clothing and changing shoes.
The association has 75 member companies with 900,000 laying hens, plus broiler chickens and turkeys. However, not all poultry farms are members of the association. According to the State Statistics Office, by 2023 more than 110 agricultural businesses in Hesse will specialize in raising poultry. More recent figures are not available.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:251117-930-302636/1
