Faisalabad’s poultry industry faces vaccine shortage, threatens fall in meat supply
Poultry farmers in Faisalabad are facing a shortage of vaccines, which could lead to a fall in meat supply if the situation is not addressed in a timely manner because many farmers have been unable to get their chicks vaccination, leaving them exposed to various diseases and weakening their immune systems.
As a result of this situation, the non-vaccinated chicks are now weighing 20% less than before, and almost 50% of poultry farms have closed in the past few months due to losses and disease exposure.
One farmer, Sadam Ali, said that soybean, an important ingredient in poultry feed, is being sold at higher prices in black markets, making it difficult for farmers to provide pure feed to their chickens. This has resulted in a decline in egg size and production by layer hens.
Soybean which was earlier sold at Rs100 per Kilogram is now being sold at Rs425 per kg. Following this, the egg size and production by the layer hens have declined.
Former Chairman of the Pakistan Poultry Association, Dr Sajjad Arshad, has warned that if the shortage of poultry medicines and vaccines is not addressed promptly, it could lead to diseases affecting the chickens, which would further exacerbate the issue.
