Cuddalore: Around 5,600 chickens raised for the Diwali festival died mysteriously across six farms in Kurinjipadi taluk in Cuddalore district over the past five days. The deaths were reported across several localities, including Thimmanampettai, Tiruchopuram, and Kurinjipadi.Official lab tests have ruled out Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI). However, results from the Pharmacovigilance Laboratory for Animal Feed and Food Safety (PLAFFS) in Madhavaram are still awaited to determine whether toxins in the feed samples caused the deaths, said a release from the animal husbandry department.With the birds fully matured and ready for festive market distribution, farm owners have suffered huge financial losses. The issue came to light at a poultry farm in Thimmanampettai village in Thyagavalli panchayat, Cuddalore district, after 200 to 250 broiler chickens died mysteriously.Officials inspected the farm on Oct 30 and collected feed and drinking water samples for tests. Before long, the remaining 3,500 chickens on the farm also died. All the chickens on five more farms died later. Samples from these farms were dispatched to PDDL in Namakkal and PLAFFS in Madhavaram for testing.All 5,600 dead chickens have been safely buried in deep pits, adhering to standard operating procedures. The animal husbandry department has advised all local poultry farm owners to strictly enforce biosecurity measures. As a preventive measure, all poultry farm owners in the affected zone have been instructed not to sell chickens or bring in/stock new chicks for a period of three months.
