WorldPoultry: Newcastle disease strikes Swedish laying flock

LAYERS

Sweden has faced an outbreak of Newcastle Disease in a flock of laying hens, the Swedish Board of Agriculture Department for Animal Welfare and Health has reported to the OIE.

Following a drop in egg production on the farm in Motala in the county of Östergötlands in the south-east of the country, diagnostic tests on the 3rd July confirmed the presence of Newcastle Disease and the entire flock of 16,3000 birds were destroyed.

The affected birds were housed 38-week-old laying hens and no signs of the disease were reported to have been shown.

A protection zone (3km) and a surveillance zone (10 km) were put in place around the farm and all other measures according to Directive 92/66/EEC were applied.

by WORLD POULTRY Jul 14, 2014