The Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) has imported 1400 Muscovy ducklings from the United States for breeding following recent deaths that are suspected to be as a result of Duck Hepatitis at six farms on the coast.
While the GLDA is currently awaiting a pronouncement from the Cornell University Duck Research Laboratory from samples that were sent in order to guide its response to the deaths, GLDA Chief Executive Officer Nigel Cumberbatch, in a statement yesterday, said the imported ducklings would be used for breeding for the GLDA and the hatchlings would be sold to farmers.
“These ducklings were imported from the USA and they were declared free of any infectious or contagious disease such as Duck Virus Hepatitis, Duck Virus Enteritis, Cholera, Salmonella and other such diseases by the United States Department of Agriculture. The hatchlings from this importation would be sold to the farming community for rearing for meat production,” Cumberbatch noted.