UK poultry farmers have been urged to be vigilant in light of continued outbreaks of avian influenza on continental Europe, mainly in Italy, Bulgaria and Germany.
Germany has reported an outbreak of low pathogenic H5N2 bird flu on a farm in the Lower Saxony region in the north of the country on Thursday (23 November).
Meanwhile, Italy has announced three virus cases. Farms affected, all in the Bresica province, have included a fattening 19,000 bird turkey farm, a 37,000 head laying hen unit and a 30,000 free-range unit.
Bird flu also struck a 42,000-bird commercial layer flock in the Zeeland region of the Netherlands in October. All birds have been culled.
However, the risk of the disease entering the United Kingdom currently remains low, despite the number of outbreaks in continental Europe.
Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) poultry vice chairman Ronnie Wells said: “We strongly recommend that all poultry keepers, including backyard keepers, review their biosecurity measures and business continuity plans now, as the risk level may well increase in the coming weeks.
“Producers should familiarise themselves with good biosecurity and if you have any suspicion of disease within your flock you should contact your vet or the local DVO immediately.”
The risk level may well increase in the coming weeks as the winter migratory period begins. The best tool farmers have available to mitigate this risk is good biosecurity on UK farms, Mr Wells said.
“I would encourage producers to practise good farm hygiene and keep birds’ food and water in enclosed areas separate from wild birds wherever possible.”
The current risk of incursion in the UK is medium for wild birds, this is because the wild bird migration season is well under way, bringing birds from areas where bird flu is present to the UK for the winter.
