Poultry farmers call for birds to be kept indoors to fight bird flu

Poultry farmers have called for a UK-wide housing order to be introduced as soon as possible, after an upsurge in bird flu outbreaks over the past month.

A mandatory housing order for all poultry and captive birds in Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex came into force on Wednesday. It applies to anyone who keeps birds - both commercial flock keepers and non-commercial premises such as backyards, hobby flocks or pets.

It comes after a significant rise in bird flu cases in the eastern region of England, with 27 outbreaks in the last month alone across the three counties. Christmas goose growers are among those hard hit.

UK Chief Veterinarian Christine Middlemiss said she expected the number of cases bird flu on farms continues to rise over the next few months as migrating birds return to the UK.

Over the past month, outbreaks have also been reported in Somerset, Oxford, Staffordshire, North Yorkshire, Lancashire, Devon and Cheshire.

< p class="dcr-1vtk2mf">In November last year vets Chiefs of Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland have agreed to introduce a UK-wide compulsory housing order. This was only lifted by the Devolved Four Nations Chief Veterans in May this year.

Farmers' groups are calling for the new regional housing ordinance mandatory be extended to the whole of the UK as soon as possible.

"The sheer persistence of bird flu over the past year, coupled with soaring energy and feed costs, has put the entire UK poultry sector under enormous emotional and financial pressure.Given the recent rise in bird flu cases and the distress they are causing to farming families, the implementation of housing measures in the East of England is a necessary step.

"The number one priority for poultry farmers has always been the health and welfare of their flock… That's why the National Union of farmers is now urging the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to consider extending regional housing measures nationwide to reflect any increased levels of risk across the country” , said James Mottershead, Chairman of the Poultry Board of Directors. e of the NFU.

The British Poultry Council has said a compulsory housing order for all farmed birds is needed. as soon as possible to prioritize the well-being of our farmers, the viability of their businesses and the safety of all birds.”

Egg Farmers Britons have also said they would like to see the initial mandatory housing order extended to the whole of the UK.

Free-range egg producers have said their Support was conditional on the UK aligning with EU proposals to allow eggs to continue to be labeled as 'free range', even if the birds are not allowed outside.

The European Commission has presented plans to remove the marketing delay for free-range eggs if chickens are forced to be housed to reduce the risk of flu outbreaks avian .

Over the past year the UK has faced its biggest outbreak of avian flu with over 160 confirmed cases since late October 2021.

" We have seen unprecedented levels of the virus around the UK this year, and generally numbers increase as winter approaches, so the situation could get even worse,” said Professor Wendy Barclay, Chief from the Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial College London.

"The outbreak is being closely monitored by the Animal and Plant Health Age...