The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced today (Tuesday, October 28) that an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) with housing measures will be introduced for north, central and parts of east England.
Bird keepers who have a flock of more than 50 birds have been ordered to keep their flock indoors from Thursday, October 30 onwards to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of bird flu.
Bird keepers who sell or give away eggs or poultry products are also being told to house their birds “due to the increased biosecurity risk that comes with trading these products, such as vehicle movements”.
Additionally, an AIPZ will be put in place for all bird keepers across the entirety of Great Britain, which requires taking enchanced biosecurity measures, including: reporting of changes in egg production; mandatory record keeping; disinfecting footwear; and cleansing and disinfecting housing and concrete walkways on a continuous basis.
Affected areas
The mandatory housing measures are set to be introduced in the following areas: Cheshire; Cumbria; Derbyshire; Durham; East Riding of Yorkshire; Greater Manchester; Lancashire; Leicestershire; Lincolnshire; Merseyside; Norfolk; North Yorkshire; Northumberland; Nottinghamshire; Rutland; Shropshire; South Yorkshire; Staffordshire; Suffolk; Tyne & Wear; and West Yorkshire.
Bird flu
The UK veterinary officer, Christine Middlemiss commented: “The risk of avian flu is seasonally very high, which is why we are introducing these measures to help protect livelihoods and animal welfare.
“There is an increasing number of avian influenza cases on commercial farms and in backyard flocks across various counties across England.”
Middlemiss urged bird keepers to comply with the new housing and biosecurity measures and to report any signs of disease to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
The chief executive of the British Poultry Council, Richard Griffiths has welcomed the announcement of a regional housing order across parts of England.
Griffiths added: “Defra must continue to monitor the situation closely and stand ready to extend the housing order if the risk increases.”
