Amid bird flu outbreak, govt makes registration of poultry farms mandatory for disease tracking

Amid recent outbreaks of avian Influenza, or bird flu, in the country, the Union government has mandated registration of all poultry farms within a month to enhance disease tracking and control. The government has also asked poultry farms to follow hygiene practices rigorously, control farm access, and follow stringent biosecurity protocols to minimize the risk of infection.

Six active outbreak zones are spread across Jharkhand, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh. Bird flu is a highly infectious viral disease affecting birds, with occasional transmission to mammals. Since its first detection in India in 2006, outbreaks have been reported annually across multiple states.

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This year, the virus has shown cross-species transmission, impacting poultry, wild birds, and even big cats in some areas.

In a meeting with stakeholders today, Alka Upadhyaya, secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), said, "Protecting our poultry sector is critical for food security and rural livelihoods. Strict biosecurity, scientific surveillance, and responsible industry practices are essential in our fight against bird flu."

Low-path vaccine cleared

To control the disease, the DAHD has permitted the use of the H9N2 (Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza) vaccine, developed by ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal, which is now available commercially. A national study will evaluate the vaccine’s effectiveness of LPAI vaccination.

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In a meeting today with DAHD, representatives from the poultry industry urged the government to explore vaccination as a strategy to prevent further economic losses in the sector. However, scientific experts highlighted that available Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) vaccines do not provide sterile immunity—but only reduce virus shedding.

Call for predictive system

Given the complexities, it was agreed that further scientific evaluation was needed to make a policy decision. The meeting recommended conducting detailed science-based assessments to determine the feasibility of HPAI vaccination in India.

Additionally, she emphasised the development of a predictive modelling system for early warning and environmental surveillance. This would enable proactive disease detection and response, minimise the risk of outbreaks, and protect the poultry industry.

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India follows a test-and-cull policy to contain avian influenza outbreaks. Under the Livestock Health and Disease Control Scheme, the government compensates affected farmers for culled birds, destroyed eggs, and feed, with costs shared 50:50 between the Centre and states.