10.05.2012

The South African veterinary authorities have discovered an outbreak of low pathogenic avian influenza (H5N2) at a commercial ostrich farm located in Uniondale, Western Cape Province. The Western Cape agriculture department will cull another 360 ostriches in the Oudtshoorn area by the end of this week. More than 40,000 ostriches have been culled since the H5N2 avian influenza virus was first detected in Klein Karoo flocks in March 2011,  including 3,000 female breeders, which will affect breeding for the next three years. The export ban imposed 14 months ago by the European Union (EU) has resulted in revenue losses of more than R800m. Before the avian influenza outbreak, the Klein Karoo region provided about 170000 slaughter birds a year, representing about 70% of ostrich meat consumption worldwide.