11 November 2022
Poultry homeowners in Powys are being reminded by the county council to make sure they’ve enhanced biosecurity measures in place to minimise the unfold of Avian Influenza.
Final month (October), the Welsh Govermnent declared an all-Wales Avian Influenza Prevention Zone to guard poultry and captive birds from a pressure of Extremely Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
Now Powys County Council’s Animal Well being Staff are reminding keepers of poultry and different captive birds that the prevention zone requires them to take applicable and practicable steps together with:
- Maintaining saved birds off land that’s recognized to be, or at excessive danger of being, frequented by wild waterfowl, or contaminated by their droppings or feathers
- Make sure the areas the place birds are saved are unattractive to wild birds, particularly waterfowl, for instance, by netting ponds and surrounding areas and by eradicating wild fowl meals sources;
- Feed and water your birds in enclosed areas to discourage wild birds;
- Minimise motion of individuals out and in of fowl enclosures;
- Clear and disinfect footwear, use foot dips earlier than coming into poultry enclosures, and maintain areas the place birds stay clear and tidy;
- Make sure that all bedding, gear, clothes and the rest that enters the areas the place birds are saved are freed from direct or oblique contamination with HPAI, which is especially unfold by fowl droppings.
- Maintain home geese and geese separate from different poultry.
These necessities apply to all saved birds, together with small flocks with fewer than 50 birds.
Keepers with greater than 500 birds may also be required to take further biosecurity measures, together with proscribing entry to non-essential folks, altering clothes and footwear earlier than coming into fowl enclosures and cleansing and disinfecting autos.
The council’s Animal Welfare Staff are additionally asking members to reporting findings of lifeless birds to the Defra helpline on 03459 335577 in order that it may be monitored by the Animal and Plant Well being Company (APHA).
A few of these wild birds shall be collected by the APHA for surveillance functions however not all birds shall be collected.
If lifeless wild birds should not wanted for avian influenza surveillance functions and landowners have taken the choice to take away carcasses, it’s the landowner’s duty to soundly organize disposal. The council additionally recommends that consideration is given to eradicating carcasses at residential premises, particularly areas which can be accessed by kids or pets.
Carcasses of lifeless wild birds ought to be disposed of in accordance with the related Animal By Merchandise (ABP) necessities. Whether it is suspected that birds are contaminated with a illness which might unfold to folks or animals, comparable to avian influenza, the carcases ought to be disposed of as a class 1 ABP.
If lifeless birds are discovered on public land, it’s the council’s responsibly to rearrange the disposal or carcasses. Members of the general public are inspired to report any lifeless birds discovered on public land by calling 01597 826031 or electronic mail buying and [email protected]
Cllr Richard Church, Cupboard Member for a Safer Powys, mentioned: “The prevention zone was declared to cut back the chance of an infection from wild birds so poultry and captive fowl keepers will need to have the suitable biosecurity measures in place.
“Poultry keepers ought to stay vigilant for any indicators of illness of their birds or any wild birds and search immediate recommendation from a vet if they’ve any issues.
“The UK is at present within the midst of an unprecedented outbreak of Avian Influenza and the winter migration of untamed birds to our shores signifies that the state of affairs is more likely to worsen earlier than it will get higher.
“It is vital that the general public report any lifeless wild birds to the Defra helpline for surveillance functions and I’d urge them to take action.”
To search out how you can dispose lifeless wild fowl carcasses accurately, go to https://www.gov.uk/animal-by-product-categories-site-approval-hygiene-and-disposal
Additional data on AI may be discovered on the Welsh Governments web site at https://gov.wales/avian-influenza-bird-flu
