The government is to slaughter at least 30 000 ostriches in the Eastern Cape in a bid to fight the deadly bird flu epidemic that is threatening the poultry industry.
Following the death from avian flu of at least 2 000 birds in the Middleton area near Somerset East, numerous roadblocks were set up to stop the movement of live birds or ostrich products between the Eastern Cape and Western Cape to prevent the spread of the disease.
In drastic steps to stop the outbreak from becoming a major crisis and to protect the poultry industry, the government yesterday announced it would slaughter at least 30 000 ostriches in the Somerset East area, costing farmers up to R100 million in lost livestock.
Acting quickly to contain the disease and prevent a disaster similar to that which struck Asia earlier this year, the government also temporarily suspended the export of all domestically produced poultry and ostriches to overseas markets.
The identification of the strain of avian influenza which has decimated the ostrich population in the Somerset East area has meant that all ostriches and poultry on 15 farms in a 30km radius quarantine area will be destroyed.
The news has left farmers extremely anxious about their future and the extent to which they will be compensated by the government.
Agriculture Department spokesperon Segoati Mahlangu said yesterday the government had decided on the mass culling after tests revealed that the strain of bird flu in the area was H5N2, a cousin of the H5N1 strain which killed 24 people and millions of chickens in Asia this year.
Mahlangu said: "All animals in the quarantined area will be culled in order to protect the poultry industry. The strain has been determined and it is highly pathogenic and dangerous for poultry."
The tests which identified the strain were conducted at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute near Pretoria.
Mahlangu said it was "unlikely" the virus was harmful to humans.
"The virus is unlikely to affect humans but appropriate bio-security measures are being taken on all affected farms."
He said the virus was still contained to the affected area. "No indication of the disease has been seen anywhere else in the country.
"However, the State Veterinary Services in all provinces are conducting extensive surveillance to confirm the localised nature of the problem."
South Africa's last major outbreak of H-strain bird flu was in 1993 in the Eastern and Western Cape.
The culling will take place on the 15 affected ostrich farms in the quarantined area, which also includes parts of Addo National Elephant Park. The number of ostriches on five remaining farms is as yet undetermined.
Although the exact number of ostriches that will be culled is unknown, initial figures indicate that 30 000 of the large birds could be destroyed over the next few days.
In today's market ostriches retail for between R1 500 and R3 500 a bird, meaning the industry could lose between R45-million and R105-million worth of livestock.
It was unclear on Friday how many chickens, ducks and geese would suffer the same fate.
There are, however, no commercial chicken farms in the area, where all chickens are produced at a subsistence level.
Mahlangu said the 30km radius quarantine would remain and be enforced by roadblocks. The ban of the movement of birds between the Eastern Cape and Western Cape would also continue.
He said the government had decided to discontinue the export of poultry to maintain good economic relations with the international community.
"The Agriculture Department has voluntarily stopped the export of poultry and poultry products until we are satisfied that we have dealt with the outbreak.
"We have done this in order to maintain our credibility with our international partners."
The time-frame for the suspension of the export was not known yet as the logistics of the culling process were still being discussed.
"A time-frame needs to be set up for the slaughter and burial of animals," Mahlangu said.
"This includes all poultry and poultry products and ostrich products including heads, skins and eggs.
"It is a mammoth task logistically."
He said he could not say how much the cull would cost the government or the farmers. "Our economist will be part of the logistics team involved and then we will have a figure."
Mahlangu said the government was already looking into the proper way to compensate farmers.
"Compensation will be guided by the Animal Diseases Act. An agricultural economist from Pretoria will evaluate the animals, decide on their market value and then determine what compensation they will be paid."
Neil Jeppe, who owns Draaihoek farm which is in the outbreak area, said: "I am hoping that government will pay us out. It is all very worrying."
Farmers whose ostriches are culled will have to wait three months for all traces of the virus to disappear before they can resume ostrich farming.
Representatives of the SA Poultry Association were unavailable for comment.
South Africa's ostrich industry generates R1,2-billion a year from exports.
