The Netherlands will kill around 100,000 ducks at a farm in the village of Hierden in Gelderland after bird flu was detected, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) said on Friday.
Bird flu was discovered on Thursday at two farms in Hierden; a total of approximately 115,000 animals must be killed and their bodies destroyed, the NVWA said.
At one of the farms where avian influenza was found, about 100,000 ducks will be mass murdered. At the other farm, 8,300 chickens and 6000 ducks will be killed. On Tuesday, the NVWA also found bird flu at another farm in Hierden; 7,000 ducks were killed.
Millions of ducks, chickens and other farm animals have been killed and destroyed after bird flu outbreaks in Europe. Experts say it is the worst outbreak ever in Europe.
Since October last year, all Dutch chickens, ducks and other farm birds have been locked up day and night. The animals have not been allowed any fresh air for the past eight months. As a result, free-range eggs are no longer available in supermarkets in the Netherlands.
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