Food and poultry company Quantum Foods will quarantine and depopulate two of its commercial layer farms in the Western Cape after an outbreak of avian influenza.
Although the outbreak was confirmed at only two layer houses, the company has, as a preventive measure, decided to depopulate the two sites in totality.
This will affect 9% of the group’s current table egg supply.
Egg production capacity at other sites that is not currently in use will be used to mitigate part of the loss of production.
The first avian influenza outbreak in South Africa was confirmed in June. It has since affected several chicken farms, as well as wild birds and domestic geese in the country.