Culling of birds has started in the wake of birdflu at the poultry unit of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) at Lamphel here, ICAR officials said today.
Out of 940 chicks brought from the Directorate of Poultry Research, Hyderabad, around 150 died or were culled in the last couple of days, they said.
Chickens reared at the poultry unit which died or culled because of birdflu were 30-weeks old and were laying eggs.
State Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Director N Rajendro said that the avian influenza virus was transmitted to the poultry unit from urine and dungs of migratory birds.
Rapid response teams of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department culled more chickens reared at the poultry unit today, he said.
Altogether 122 chickens were culled yesterday and those reared within one km radius of the ICAR complex would be culled today.
Counting of chickens and ducks reared within the 10 km radius (surveillance zone) of the complex would be also be done today, he said.
Veterinary Director Rajendro maintained that all poultry birds found within the infected and surveillance zones must be culled and there should be restriction on selling chickens within these zones.
Police should prohibit transportation of poultry birds from one place to another, he said.
The Director also appealed to all the people rearing poultry birds within the infected and surveillance zones not to conceal their poultry birds.