France to cull 600,000 poultry to stem bird flu

France is to cull around 600,000 poultry birds as it tries to contain an avian influenza virus that is spreading among duck flocks in the southwest of the country, the farm ministry said.

France is among European countries to have reported highly contagious strains of bird flu late last year, leading to mass culls as authorities try to limit transmission from wild birds to farm flocks.

France has already slaughtered around 200,000 poultry and plans to cull a further 400,000 birds, a farm ministry official said.

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