How are poultry birds culled amid bird flu in India?

Thousands of poultry were slaughtered in India after an outbreak of deadly avian influenza was found to have killed severalof birds across the country

The Centre said bird flu has been confirmed so far in Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat, and asked these six states to contain the disease as per the action plan.

How are birds culled amid bird flu?

It is said that culling is done in a radius one kilometre from the site of infection, which is called the ‘infected zone’. It is done to stop the viral disease from spreading to birds and humans in other farms outside the infected zone.

The birds are killed by wringing their necks, it results in death from cerabral anoxia due to cessation of breathing and/or blood supply to the brain.

Earlier, they were killed directly using this method but now the cullers must first administer an oral anaesthesia to birds weighing above three kilograms.