It is exactly one year ago that bird flu broke out on a poultry farm in Zeewolde. An organic chicken farm on Duikerweg was the first victim and many other companies in the Netherlands would follow later. The disease has not gone away since the outbreak on October 26, 2021. According to the NVWA, it is the deadliest epidemic since 2003.
The company of duck farmer Jaap Maarsingh from Zeewolde is the second company where an infection occurred. The approximately 10,000 ducks were immediately killed. A violent event that the farmer does not want to experience again. According to Maarsingh, there is one way to prevent such a drama. “I only see one solution and that is pure vaccination.”
Just like the coronavirus, the bird flu virus also mutates, says Maarsingh. Wageningen University in Lelystad recently announced that it was investigating three vaccines against bird flu. If those resources are there, then according to the duck farmer you are also morally obliged to use them. “What this is, of course, is just untenable.”
Wetting and mutation
The dreaded virus has not gone away in the spring and summer months. According to Jaap Maarsingh, one of the causes of this is the increase in nature reserves with rewetting. “Migratory birds stay there, after all they take the virus with them.” The birds spend the winter there and stay longer in the area between the poultry farms.
Another cause is the mutations of the virus. The disease is becoming increasingly aggressive, Maarsingh notes. According to him, until 2014 there was no bird flu virus to which the duck was sensitive. A duck could be the carrier of the bird flu virus, but it didn’t really get sick. That has changed in recent years.
Russian roulette
Because of the contagious variant, every poultry farmer can get the virus on his farm, says Maarsingh. “It comes in at all subdivisions. It’s Russian roulette.” Taking measures is therefore necessary, according to the poultry farmer, otherwise the disease will continue to circulate. “A week later it will be in Groningen, another week later it will be in the west of the country, or in the east of the country, or the south. It is just elusive.”
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