DEFRA Housing Order – AI Prevention Update 7th December 2016

DEFRA have issued a housing order for all free range poultry (including captive birds such as over wintered breeding stock) across England, Scotland and Wales for the next 30 days. The AI strain (H5N8),  that has been causing issues in Europe, has not yet reached our poultry. This is being done as a precaution. During this time we need to ensure that stress caused to birds is minimised through the use of environmental enrichment such as pecking blocks, CD’s or string. The levels of stress in flocks can be reduced through the use of in-water supplements containing essential oils, amino acids and nicotinamide. DEFRA have also stated if the birds cannot be housed, then all precautions should be taken to reduce wild bird contact with the captive birds.  

In addition to housing the birds, it is essential to maintain good biosecurity at all times through:

• Ensuring only essential personnel visit the birds;
• Good vermin control;
• The use of freshly topped up disinfectants (any disinfectants used should be DEFRA approved and should be both covered and replaced at least twice a week);
• Wearing protective clothing;
• Hand sanitisation upon entering and exiting sheds (or bio-secure area);
• Using separate footwear for each house or bio-secure area (in the case of several small sheds being used for each age group);
• Ensuring vehicles have their wheels disinfected upon entering the site;
• Ensuring that dung pads are cleared up where sheds are moved to ensure any accidentally spilled feed is unavailable to wild birds;
• Ensuring that the areas around feed bins are kept clean and that any spillages are promptly cleared up;
• Ensuring that any unexplained mortality is reported to your vet;
• Ensuring that any dead wild birds found are reported to DEFRA.

Plan for open topped over wintering pens:

• Personnel record book;
• Entering of pen kept to a minimum;
• Foot dips before and after gate using Defra approved disinfectant;
• Bird scarers installed including the use of hi-vis jackets etc.

Signs of AI can include, but are not exclusive of the following:

• Increase in mortality;
• Coughing;
• Sneezing;
• Lethargic behaviour.

For more information, please click on the following Defra link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu#prevention-zone  

Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch.