Angul: An abrupt death of 224 chickens at a government owned poultry farm here Thursday has raised concerns among the residents.
About 728 chickens have died in the farm since January 30. The death of 224 chickens on a single day has baffled the farm authorities as they struggle to ascertain the reason behind the deaths.
Scared over the development, the authorities administered vaccines to chickens to check further deaths.
While the farm had 2,000 chickens by January end, the number has now reduced to 1,272. It is apprehended that the entire poultry population I the farm might get wipe out if urgent measures are not taken to check the trend.
While farm authorities claimed that pneumonia might be the reason behind the deaths, no stern measures are being taken to combat the situation.
The abrupt deaths of such a large number of chickens have brought the role of the farm authorities under scanner.
On being informed, two animal disease experts Prabhu Kalyan Tripathy and Mihir Kumar Nayak from the animal disease research institute (ADRI) at Phulnakhra on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar reached the farm and collected 10 samples of blood, respiratory pipes and five dead chickens for laboratory examinations.
Nayak said they will examine the samples and submit their report within five to six days. Later, the chickens can be vaccinated and treated on the basis of the recommendations made in their report.
Sources said the farm established in 1942 was earlier producing chicks and selling the stocks in and outside the state.
However, production of chicks has completely stopped in the farm due to alleged negligence of the farm authorities. Currently, the farm is procuring chicks from outside the state and raising them in the farm. PNN
