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Govt considering vaccinating poultry
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PUTRAJAYA: The government is considering vaccinating poultry to stop the H5N1 bird flu virus instead of culling. However, Agriculture and AgroBased Industries Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday, the vaccination procedures being used in countries like France and Indonesia will require the views of the industry players, including scientists and other experts. "We are still toying with the vaccination idea. We have not decided anything yet until we get the proper feedback and support," Muhyiddin told newsmen after the ministry's post-cabinet meeting here. "The Poultry Breeders Association members feel we should vaccinate instead of cull to help the |
industry. "But we will also need feedback from countries importing our chickens or ducks, especially countries like Singapore, as it is a multi-billion ringgit industry. "We also need feedback from individual breeders of chickens and ducks, including those breeding kampong chickens." He said until a decision is made, which might take up to two or three weeks, culling will continue in the affected areas. "Obviously, if it is a good approach, the government might consider," Muhyiddin said. |
On developments in Perak, he said the ministry noticed that many of the breeding areas, especially those for ducks, were done in open water areas also visited by migratory birds, some of which may carry the bird flu virus. "We suspect this was how the virus managed to spread, and we are suggesting to them (breeders) to have close breeding, especially those operating from old mining areas." Asked whether the government is prepared for a vaccination exercise, Muhyiddin said it is, adding that "we might have to also outsource from other places or countries for the medicines and other facilities". "Currently, we have people visiting the countries conducting vaccination to see the effects," he said. |
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