Animal husbandry department officials said they suspect food poisoning to be the cause of death of these birds and animals while ruling out bird flu or any other reason. However, the officials have sent the samples of the dead birds and animals for test at a laboratory in Bhopal amid the bird flu scare in the state.

Dr B T Rathwa,, an officer of animal husbandry department in the state government, said, "We have sent seven samples of the dead crows to a laboratory in Bhopal while the forensic science laboratory in Gandhinagar too is conducting tests to ascertain if it was food poisoning that claimed lives of so many birds and animals at Mandva. We suspect it to be a case of food poisoning and nothing else for now."

Meanwhile, deaths of three hens at Digas village of Kamrej taluka in Surat district on Saturday night was attributed to worm infection. Dr A AUsmani, another officer at the animal husbandry department, said, "Primary report suggests worm infection, but we are awaiting reports from the laboratory in Bhopal on two samples."

The district authorities did not want to take any chances after two ducks were found to be infected with bird flu at Kadaiya village in the Union Territory of Daman and hence have sent the samples to Bhopal and checked at least 1 lakh chickens and other birds for bird flu infection. Valsad district administration on Monday collected some samples from a poultry farm as a precautionary measure.