Avian flu in the Landes: An Outbreak Confirmed on a Farm in Herm, 16,500 Chickens and Turkeys Slaughtered

An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed at a turkey and chicken farm in Herm. A little over 16,000 poultry will be slaughtered. In Chalosse, a suspicion in a breeding farm was raised after negative analyses

The threat had gravitated around the department for several weeks. A case of avian influenza was detected on a farm in Landes this Thursday 11th December. An announcement confirmed, in the middle of the evening, by the prefect of Landes, Gilles Clavreul. This outbreak was confirmed after analysis in a turkey and chicken farm, located in the town of Herm. “Significant animal mortality had affected this farm”, explains the Landes prefecture.

Not vaccinated

The poultry of this Landes producer are not vaccinated against HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza). “In accordance with the regulations which provide for the deployment of vaccination coverage only in duck farms”, specifies the press release from the prefecture.

As soon as this first case of avian flu was confirmed on a Landes farm, several measures were put in place. Around the home, in a 3 kilometre sector, a protection zone has been demarcated and concerns two municipalities, namely Herm and Castets.

A surveillance zone is also established within a radius of 10 kilometres beyond the protection zone. This second perimeter concerns all or part of nine municipalities: Gourbera, Castets, Laluque, Léon, Linxe, Magescq, Saint-Michel-Escalus, Saint-Paul-lès-Dax and Taller.

In these demarcated areas, “all places where poultry and captive birds are kept are subject to specific requirements”. The movement of poultry or the establishment of new animals is “prohibited unless an exemption is obtained from State services”.

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Depopulation campaign

The detection of cases of avian influenza will lead, from this Friday, December 12, to a depopulation operation in the affected livestock farm. AInsi, 6,000 turkeys and 10,500 chickens will be slaughtered in the coming hours. “State services and in particular the Departmental Directorate of Employment, Labor, Solidarity and Population Protection have been mobilized alongside the producer since the declaration of the outbreak, adds the prefecture. They will be on site as part of the euthanasia operation and will initiate the compensation procedure. ”

Concern grows

This Thursday 11th December, analyzes were carried out in another farm located in Chalosse. “We had a suspected case”, underlines the prefect of Landes. It turned out to be negative. A further sign of growing concern in a department “where the circulation of the HPAI virus is active”. In the Landes, until then, cases had been detected on migratory common cranes (hit by high mortality) and on two wild carnivorous mammals.

Just a few days ago, departmental agricultural officials, starting with Marie-Hélène Cazaubon, expressed their “great concern”. “The virus gravitates around. Every day that passes is a victory. “A hard blow, even more so just a stone’s throw from the end-of-year holidays, for this sector which has paid a heavy price because of avian influenza in previous years.

Contacted this Friday 12th December, the president of the consular chamber “feared this news”. “We know the virus is very present in the department because of the heavily contaminated avifauna”, she adds. She calls for caution and usual precautions “in particular the campaign for the third dose of vaccination for ducks”.

Reached by telephone, the mayor of Herm, Pascal Lavigne, showed his compassion with the producer affected by the outbreak. “He is devastated. These are months of work reduced to nothing. It’s terrible, especially at this time when activity was in full swing as the holidays approached. He had to deliver turkeys for Christmas. ”