The third and final report on the death of a rhinoceros at the Delhi Zoo has confirmed that anthrax infection was not the cause of death. The National Centre of Disease Control report of tests conducted on blood samples of a male one-horned rhino that died on April 28 reached the Zoo authorities on Monday.

“The third report has come negative for anthrax. Everything has become normal again at the zoo and the barricades that restricted visitors’ entry to the rhino enclosure have been removed,” said R A Khan, curator of National Zoological Park, on Tuesday.

New Delhi With no political consensus as yet to allow the foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, India needs to undertake structural reforms urgently to curb food inflation that surged to a 15-month high of 10.49% in April on dearer vegetables and protein-based products.

Economists said these reforms should focus on four fundamental aspects: raising productivity, curbing wastages, better distribution and delivery system, and ensuring fair returns to producers to keep them engaged in the farm sector.

The anthrax scare reported from the Delhi zoo after the death of a rhinoceros abated on Thursday as test reports cleared doubts over anthrax infection as the cause of death. The reports, submitted by the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly and a private lab in Delhi, were negative for anthrax infection, officials said.

The local administration in Gorkha has banned import of poultry in the district after more than 200 chickens died in Jaubari and Gokhu VDCs recently. Authorities suspect that bird flu may have killed the chickens.

Samples of the dead fowl have been sent to the Capital for tests. As a preemptive measure, the remaining fowls at the two farms were also slaughtered recently. A meeting held at the District Administration Office has decided to inspect the coops for possible infection.

NewDelhi:The Indian Veterinary Research Institute has not found any trace of anthrax in the blood samples of the rhinoceros that died at the National Zoological Park in the Capital on Saturday.

A South Korean delegation will conduct a week-long review this week of U.S. mad-cow safeguards and will meet with the top U.S. animal health official on Tuesday in the wake of a new U.S. case of the brain-wasting disease.

A USDA spokesman said it is routine for trading partners to seek details about animal disease outbreaks. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack wrote to 28 countries, including major importers, last week to assure them U.S. beef is safe to eat.

Anthrax Not Confirmed, Officials Look For Likely Source
New Delhi: Anthrax, the bacterial disease which is suspected to have killed a rhinoceros at Delhi zoo, is unknown in Delhi but there have been outbreaks in other places across the country, scientists specializing in veterinary research said on Tuesday. In recent years, outbreaks have been reported from Karnataka (1999 and 2001), Orissa (2003 and 2005) and West Bengal (2000).

Rhino Dies Of Symptoms; Tests On
New Delhi: The death of a rhinoceros at the National Zoological Park, Delhi, has triggered an anthrax alarm as the animal showed symptoms of the bacterial disease which is fatal in most cases.

India is third in egg production and fourth in chicken output

Vice Chancellor of the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) Dr. R. Prabakaran said that veterinarians have played a major role in placing India atop the world in milk production, third in egg production and fourth in chicken meat production.

Deadly new castle disease has played havoc with the commercial poultry farms by perishing 44.59 million broilers during last five-month, incurring a total loss of about Rs 6 billion in Punjab.

Vice Chancellor of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha said speaking at a meeting on New Castle Disease and its control held at Syndicate room of UVAS here on Thursday.