All poultry and captive birds
must be housed from today (7th November) in
England to prevent the risk of avian influenza spreading
further.
All bird keepers are required
to shut their birds indoors to prevent access by wild birds and
to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their
flocks from avian influenza, regardless of type of bird or
numbers kept. The disease could kill your
birds if these actions aren’t
taken.
Since late October 2021,
the UK has faced
its largest ever outbreak of avian influenza with over 200 cases
confirmed on commercial premises, smallholdings and in pet birds.
The introduction of the housing measures comes after the disease
was confirmed at over 90 premises since the start of last month,
as well as in over 200 dead wild birds. The risk of bird flu in wild birds is
now considered very high.
The Chief Veterinary Officer is
now urging all bird keepers in England to step up their efforts
in the fight against avian influenza. Evidence shows that housing
birds reduces the risk of kept birds being infected with avian
influenza. However, housing alone will not fully protect birds
and all keepers must still follow the other enhanced biosecurity
measures mandated by the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ)
at all times to protect their flocks and prevent the risk of
future outbreaks which is circulating in wild birds. This
includes cleansing and disinfecting footwear and clothing before
and after contact with birds, reducing the movement of people
onto premises and storing bedding properly so it doesn’t get
contaminated by wild birds.
The UK’s Chief
Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said:
“Many poultry keepers in
England have excellent biosecurity standards but we know that one
small mistake is all it takes to introduce bird flu onto premises
and kill flocks. A housing order alone will not be enough to
reduce infection rates. Implementing scrupulous biosecurity and
separating flocks from wild birds remains the best form of
defence.
“Whether you keep just a few
birds or thousands, from today onwards they must be housed under
cover to protect them from this highly infectious
disease.”
The new housing measures build
on the strengthened biosecurity measures that were brought in as
part of the AIPZ earlier this month. The AIPZ means that all bird
keepers need to take extra precautions, such as restricting
access for non-essential people on site, ensuring workers change
clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures and
cleaning and disinfecting vehicles regularly to limit the risk of
the disease spreading.
The UK Health Security Agency
continue to advise that the risk to public health from the virus
is very low and the Food Standards Agency advice remains
unchanged, that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk
for UK consumers. Properly cooked poultry and poultry products,
including eggs, are safe to eat.
ENDS
Further
Information:
The addition of housing
measures to the AIPZ already in force across England means all
bird keepers across England must:
- housing or netting all poultry and captive birds or keep them
separate from wild birds.
-
cleanse and disinfect clothing,
footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with
poultry and captive birds – if practical, use disposable
protective clothing
-
reduce the movement of people,
vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry and
captive birds are kept, to minimise contamination from manure,
slurry and other products, and use effective vermin
control
-
keep records of mortality, movement
of poultry and poultry products and any changes in
production
-
thoroughly cleanse and disinfect
housing on a continuous basis
-
keep fresh disinfectant at the
right concentration at all farm and poultry housing entry and
exit points
-
minimise direct and indirect
contact between poultry and captive birds and wild birds,
including making sure all feed and water is not accessible to
wild birds
-
prevent access by poultry to ponds
and watercourses and ensure that birds are kept in fenced or
enclosed areas
