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The UK Veterinary Director has introduced an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (ZP) across Great Britain following a third case in a commercial flock and further incidents in wild birds.
Christine Middlemiss said the action legally required all poultry farmers in England, Scotland and Wales to follow strict biosecurity measures to prevent further spread of the virus.
Whether you have a few birds or thousands, you are now legally required to comply with the enhanced biosecurity requirements and this is in your interest to protect your birds from this highly infectious disease. “
Christine Middlemiss said the action legally required all poultry farmers in England, Scotland and Wales to follow strict biosecurity measures to prevent further spread of the virus. Photo: Tamara Reijers
Confirmation of a highly pathogenic H5N8 outbreak in broiler breeder chickens follows on a farm near Leominster, Herefordshire last week. Earlier this month, similar cases of high trajectory H5N8 were found in Frodsham, Cheshire, and a case of low pathogenicity H5N2 was confirmed in Deal, Kent. Cases of H5N8 have also been found in dead wild birds in Devon, Dorset and Gloucestershire, as well as County Derry in Northern Ireland.
The PZ requires that all poultry farmers, including hobbyist and backyard farmers, in Great Britain:
- Take precautions against the transfer of virus contamination between sites or facilities, including cleaning and disinfecting footwear, vehicles, and equipment.
- Make sure the area where the birds are kept is not attractive to wild birds, i.e. through ponds with nets
- Feed and water birds in enclosed areas to deter wild birds.
- Minimize the movement of people in and out of poultry houses
- Clean and disinfect footwear and keep areas where birds live clean and orderly.
- Reduce existing contamination by cleaning and sanitizing concrete areas and closing wet or swampy areas
- Exercise effective rodent control in areas where poultry are kept
- Register all vehicles and people who come in contact with birds.
- Record all movements of poultry, captive birds and eggs
- Make sure the poultry housing is well maintained, with any water leaks or rectified contamination routes.
For free-range poultry, farmers should fence and secure all outdoor areas to keep birds within range, ensuring that no fecal material from wild birds contaminates the unit. Access to open or standing water is restricted; food and water are kept inside; birds should not come into contact with neighboring poultry and concrete walkways and walkways should be regularly disinfected.
Those with more than 500 birds must take additional biosecurity measures, including:
- Operate an effective hygiene barrier, including changing clothing and footwear before entering and leaving the live bird area
- Access to the live bird area is restricted to authorized personnel and essential equipment and vehicles.
- Housing and equipment should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected at the end of the production cycle before new birds are introduced.
- Regular checks are carried out on the structural integrity of the poultry houses.
- Egg producers will need to ensure that packaging, handling and storage of eggs / seconds from the second-grade farm are managed in a biosecure manner.
- Egg trays must be cleaned and disinfected before use and records must be kept.
Aimee Mahony, Senior Poultry Advisor for the National Farmers Union, said: “The health and well-being of your birds is a farmer’s top priority and practicing good biosecurity is the best way to protect them from this disease.” Richard Griffiths, Executive Director of the British Poultry Council, added: “We are working with Defra and we are keeping an eye on poultry sites to minimize risk to the national flock.”
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