Ranikhet scare for poultry farmers in Odisha's Jeypore

JEYPORE: Suspected outbreak of Ranikhet disease in villages under Jeypore block has left poultry farmers in the district worried.

At least 100 country chickens are suspected to have died of the disease in villages under Tankua panchayat in the last five days. Officially though, the number of poultry deaths has been put at 30. 

Villagers of Tankua, Somdashput, Mohaliaput, Jaganathpur, Daliamboguda and Pansput informed that the country chicken are dying after suffering from fever and diarrhoea but the same symptoms are not seen in broiler chicken.

A team of veterinarians from the Department of Animal Husbandry visited the villages on Wednesday and collected swab samples of chicken showing symptoms of white feces and ruffled feathers.

They also began vaccinating poultry birds to prevent spread of the infectious disease. 

Veterinarians informed that there is no symptom of bird flu in the area and deaths are possibly due to Ranikhet disease.

Veterinary surgeon, Jeypore, Lina Kalo said the department has sent 50 samples of affected and dead birds to Koraput laboratory for tests.

“Usually, a chick has to be vaccinated for Ranikhet disease within five days of its birth but many poultry farmers here do not vaccinate the birds due to lack of knowledge. We are sensitising them on vaccinating the birds”, she said.