Avian Influenza Outbreak In Foie Gras Production Areas: France Destroys Herds, Establishes Protection Zones

Illustration of a duck farm in France. (Wikimedia Commons/L214 – thique & animaux)

JAKARTA - An outbreak of bird flu (Avian Influenza) has been detected at a duck farm in France's Landes region, the heart of foie gras production, local officials said Sunday.

"The clinical signs were beyond doubt and it was decided to exterminate the herd on Saturday, the day after the outbreak was identified," said Marie-Helene Cazaubon, head of the Landes agricultural chamber.

In this regard, the local government has established a three-kilometre (1.8-mile) protection zone and a 10-kilometer surveillance zone around the farm.

This is the second outbreak detected in the southwest since a major epidemic last year that led to the culling of 2.5 million ducks and geese.

Early last month health authorities asked organic and open poultry farmers to confine their poultry, as a measure to avoid contact with migratory birds that may carry the virus.

"We are in a migratory corridor where birds fly from northern Europe ... and we have to be very vigilant," said Cazaubon, who is also a duck farmer.

Cazaubon notes that most ducks and geese have been slaughtered for their fat, to make the famous foie gras pate that is popular during the holiday season.

The tradition goes a long way in France, but is controversial because the birds are force-fed to artificially fatten their hearts.

Earlier, citing Reuters, the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus was discovered in the Gers administrative area on a farm that breeds ducks for foie gras, a specialty of liver pate, the Ministry of Livestock said in a statement.

A severe form of bird flu, commonly called avian flu, has spread across Europe and Asia in recent weeks. In France, eight outbreaks have now occurred on farms, with the previous seven cases in the north, according to the ministry.

It is known, France slaughtered more than 3 million ducks a year ago to fight off the previous wave of bird flu.

Bird flu is often fatal to poultry. It cannot be transmitted through food although some human cases have raised concern among epidemiologists.

Outbreaks of bird flu could trigger trade restrictions. China has banned imports of French poultry products since late last year.

To note, About a quarter of French foie gras comes from the Landes, which consists of about 800 farms, mainly raising ducks.