KAVREPALANCHWOK: The district authority has culled as many as 40,000 domestic fowl- chicken and ducks- in response to increasing spread of bird flu.

The District Livestock Office, Dhulikhel informed that it destroyed 40,729 birds kept in commercial farms. The chickens of layer species and ducks were destroyed after they began dying due to influenza.

Senior veterinarian Dr Bajra Kishor Thakur informed that avian influenza took toll on poultry farms of ward no 6 and 13 of Banepa Municipality and ward no 7, 8 and 9 of Panauti Municipality.

The infection might have spread rapidly also because of random disposal of chickens and ducks which died of bird flu, Thakur said, adding that dumping of dead and infected birds must be safe. In view of the spread, the Office has intensified rigorous test, management and supply of the domestic fowls.

He urged the concerned poultry farmers and entrepreneurs to ensure sanitation and sanitization in farm and during supply. The protocol on bio-security at commercial poultry farm must be adhered, Thakur stressed.

However, it is argued that the infection spread rapidly because of slow results of laboratory tests. In view of growing risk, the local authority has beefed up inspection of fowl supply to curb illegal transport.