The UK Government has actually lifted the necessary bird housing guideline for poultry and captive birds throughout England and Wales.
On 00:01 on 18 April 2023, the necessary real estate guidelines for birds and poultry in England and Wales were lifted by the UK Government.
Announced by the Department for Environment and Food and Rural and Affairs (DEFRA) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency, poultry and captive bird owners will now have the ability to launch their flocks as the real estate procedures are no longer required to “help stop the spread of bird flu” (bird influenza).
This indicates that, from 18 April 2023, eggs laid by birds with access to outdoors variety locations will have the ability to be marketed as ‘free range’ eggs.
However, DEFRA has actually made it clear that the bird influenza avoidance zone (AIPZ) with necessary biosecurity requirements still stays in force. According to DEFRA, this is due to the fact that “scrupulous biosecurity remains the most effective method of disease control available”.
“All bird keepers must continue to meet the enhanced biosecurity measures set out in the declaration,” validated DEFRA.
New Food formerly reported on the real estate procedures being put in location throughout England and Wales from 7 November 2022.
In November, the UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss explained: “We are now facing the largest ever outbreak of bird flu [in 2022], and are seeing rapid escalation in the number of cases on commercial farms and in backyard birds across England.”
Since 1 October 2022, there have actually supposedly been 178 confirmed cases of extremely pathogenic bird influenza (HPAI) in the UK.
Breaking down this figure, DEFRA has actually said that 150 of the cases were reported in England, 21 in Scotland, 6 in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, on 20 March 2023, there was one validated case of low pathogenic bird influenza (LPAI) in Scotland.
However, now the necessary real estate limitations have actually been raised in England and Wales, numerous poultry farmers might be eagerly anticipating getting their normal practises back to normality. It is most likely that DEFRA will be staying watchful to see how the next couple of months takes place in relation to the possible spread of the infection.
New Food will keep its readers upgraded with any advancements.