Heat wave hits poultry industry in Srikakulam

Srikakulam: The heat wave sweeping in the State has taken a toll on poultry industry in Srikakulam district. With temperatures rising for the last two weeks coupled with heat wave thousands of hens in poultry farms died in a massive scale in Ranastalam, Laveru, Ponduru, Etcherla, Srikakulam, Palakonda, Rajam, Narasannapeta, Palasa, Tekkali and Amudalavalasa mandals.

The day temperatures are recording more than 40 degrees Celsius at Ranastalam area, where many poultry units located, due to industrial emissions from pharmaceuticals, pesticides and piston manufacturing units. Heat wave will be severe on April 28 and April 29 as per India Meteorology Department (IMD) forecast. Due to dry spell, humidity percentage fell less than 43 per cent in the air which is causing quick dehydration.

Normally hens will live for two months at poultry unit but due to heat wave in the wake of summer they are dying at chick stage. "Normally hens will take breath from mouth which is difficult in the summer and particularly in heat wave climate," said Animal Husbandry Department Joint Director M Venkateswarlu to The Hans India. Poultry unit owners are losing number of birds in the wake of summer.

At Patharlapalli village in Ranastalam mandal and at Ampili village in Palakonda mandal hens died in a massive scale for the last one week due to heat wave. "We are covering our poultry sheds with different types of straw to prevent induction of heat inside the units to protect our birds by investing additional amount in every summer," said poultry unit owners V Rama Rao and V Damodar Rao of Lolugu village in Ponduru mandal to this newspaper.

"We are facing difficult situation in May and June every year to protect our birds at poultry units but this year such situation started in April itself," said Poultry Farmers and Traders Welfare Association district general secretary P Venkateswara Rao. "Due to summer, chicks and hens are consuming more water which is leading to very less consumption of eating feed and loss of weight of hens," Poultry Farmers and Traders Welfare Association district president S Babu Rao explained.