SA Poultry Association (Sapa), 145 cases have been reported in the country since the virus first broke out in April last year, with 13 new outbreaks in the first three months of this year. “The Western Cape egg industry suffered the most losses, with an estimated 30. 6% of laying hens affected by the outbreak of H5N1,” the association said. The Western Cape and about 1.

5 million egg-laying birds have increased the risk of winter disease. This was bad news for consumers as farmers could be forced to raise prices. “The surge in countries that are already experiencing high inflation due to other external factors is because chicken is one of the cheapest sources of protein,” said Daniel Johnson, a spokesman for the West Cape Department of Agriculture. ” Khaya Burwana, a small egg farmer and founder of the Hatch of Oak Poultry Farming, said the disease had seriously affected his surgery over the past year and has not yet recovered.

“Since the outbreak, up to 80 chickens have died from the virus. Spawning chickens lay one or two eggs a day, but during the disease they do not eat as often as needed, I don’t drink water either. Production is low and it’s bad, “he said. “I sold the last batch of broilers in November. “

Chamomile Farming, said the virus had no effect on her egg farm, which has 16 employees. He said he prepared for the virus through security measures and restricted access to the facility. When they started farming in 2003, they started selling 20 eggs. The Department of Agriculture said precautions against the virus included preventing contact between poultry and wild birds.

Source: IOL