RCL Foods confirms bird flu outbreak at breeder facility

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Mongezi Mtati

Food producer RCL Foods has reported an outbreak of avian influenza (AI) in one its 18 shed on its Viva farm near Mulderdrift, Gauteng - a relatively small breeder facility with approximately 67,000 birds in total.

Breeding facilities are not used for meat production and these birds were in any event at the end of their life cycle, so market supply will not be affected. All the birds on this farm are in the process of being euthanised to prevent the spread of the infection beyond the farm and the farm remains under quarantine. RCL Foods’ closest facility to Viva is nearly 30km away.

Scott Pitman, managing director of RCL Foods’ Consumer Division, commented: “This outbreak occurred despite the obsessive and stringent biosecurity measures that we have in place to contain the spread of the AI virus. We are working closely, and fully cooperating, with government and other authorities to gather industry research on how best to contain the virus. It should be noted that the virus is not known to affect humans.”

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) has confirmed 11 outbreaks in the industry.

All stakeholders will be kept informed as the process evolves.