The UK now meets international requirements to declare freedom from Avian Influenza, as the chief vet urges continued vigilance.
The Government Chief Vet announced on 13 September that the UK had met international requirements to declare itself free from Avian Influenza (AI) H5N8, but reiterated calls for all poultry keepers to remain vigilant for signs of disease, as there is a real and constant threat.
The disease continues to circulate in Europe and as winter approaches the risk of migratory wild birds infecting domestic poultry will rise.
The UK was previously declared free of Avian Flu in April 2016 but the disease returned in December that year – so the government is not complacent.
Between December 2016 and June 2017, 13 cases of AI were confirmed in kept poultry in the UK. In all cases, the Animal and Plant Health Agency put movement restrictions in place to limit the spread of disease and carried out thorough investigations into the source and possible spread of infection. The government also introduced UK-wide measures to protect poultry from infection from wild birds, including a requirement to temporarily house birds and a ban on bird gatherings.
Today Chief Veterinary Officer Nigel Gibbens urged keepers to remain vigilant for signs of disease as winter approaches and reiterated the need for good biosecurity at all times:
Denne historien er fra Nov - Dec 2017-utgaven av Practical Poultry.
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Denne historien er fra Nov - Dec 2017-utgaven av Practical Poultry.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Growing food for Chickens
Mary Larham explores some crops to grow on your holding…
Poultry in the garden – the truth!
Jo-Jane Buxton shares her experiences
The British Waterfowl Association
Which came first, the goose or the egg?
WHY FIT A FAN IN AN INCUBATOR?
Brinsea Products, the Incubation Specialists explain the difference between still air and forced draught
Incubating turkey eggs
Janice Houghton-Wallace looks at broody turkeys and artificial incubation
Chicken nesting box herbs
Diana Clauss owns The Blue Feather Farm, in St Cloud, Florida, home to chickens, ducks, goats, and Anatolian Shepherd dogs.
Incubate in January?
Jessica Wombwell says plan the breeding
Andy's DIARY
Andy emphases the importance of keeping out damp and wet but allowing ventilation even in cold weather
Feeding for Breeding
It may be winter, but as Joanna Palmer, nutritionist for Smallholder Range explains, now’s the time to get your flock in tiptop shape and plan ahead for a successful breeding season next spring.
A chick named Cuckoo raised by a duck!
Chris Hammacott and her husband live on a small croft in the Outer Hebrides, they keep a ‘no kill’ flock or rare and rescue sheep which they use to spin and weave rugs. They also share the 8 acres with hens, ducks, cats and 9 rescue pugs.
