Pakistan Begins Culling of Diseased Australian Sheep

Pakistan has reported culling over 21,000 imported Australian sheep. Sindh government officials decided Sunday to cull more than 21,000 imported Australian sheep and the process of killing the animals and burying them started late at night, reported Dawn from Karachi.

The government took the decision after reports from a second laboratory confirmed that the animals were diseased.

Animal Activist Ends Brutal Dog Culling
Rubaiya Ahmad, animal activist in Dhaka saves dogs from cruel culls.

"We have culled about 150 sheep so far. The step has been taken after the animals were found suffering from highly contagious diseases. Infections could spread in our environment if the animals were allowed to live," Abdul Hafeez Shaikh from the livestock department said.

The sheep were being buried in a 15-foot-deep ditch after being slaughtered.

Syed Abid Ali Shah, a senior official, said the sheep had got foot-and-mouth disease, besides having bacterial infection.

Mass Culling to Curb Foot-and-mouth Disease can be Reduced
Culling large numbers of livestock to control food-and-mouth disease could be reduced, suggests study.

"There is no option left but to cull all animals in public interest because two laboratory reports have confirmed that they are diseased," he said.

The sheep were recently offloaded here. Parts of the same consignment were also delivered to Qatar and Oman.

Tripura Starts Culling of Chickens After Bird Flu Outbreak
Veterinaries in Tripura have started the process of culling chickens, after an outbreak of Avian Influenza or bird flu in the state.

The authorities in Bahrain rejected the shipment on account of the animals' sickness.

Dawn cited media reports that said the consignment was brought to Karachi instead of being taken back to Australia.

Bird Flu-hit Murshidabad District Takes Up Poultry Culling
A central health ministry official has revealed that culling has started in the right earnest in West Bengal after detection of bird flu.

It was bought here by a meat company and the sheep were being kept at its farms in Razzakabad area with other animals meant for slaughter.

Source-IANS