Bird 'gatherings' banned

Gatherings of poultry have been banned across Wales, Powys poultry owners have been warned.

The ban, which came into force on 10 February, has been introduced to minimise the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Included in the ban are bird fairs, markets, shows, sales, and exhibitions, affecting ducks, geese, turkeys, chickens, and game birds.

Powys County Council’s Animal Health Team are now warning poultry owners to comply with the ban as well as the All-Wales Avian Influenza Protection Zone that was introduced by the Welsh Government last month (January).

The protection zone requires all keepers of poultry and other captive birds, irrespective of the size of the flock or how the birds are kept, to take appropriate and practicable steps including:

• Ensuring the areas where birds are kept are unattractive to wild birds, for example, by netting ponds and surrounding areas and by removing wild bird food sources;
• Feeding and watering flocks in enclosed areas to discourage wild birds;
• Minimising movement of people in and out of bird enclosures;
• Cleaning and disinfecting footwear, using foot dips before entering poultry enclosures, and keeping areas where birds live clean and tidy;
• Reducing any existing contamination by cleansing and disinfecting concrete areas and fencing off wet or boggy areas;
• Keeping domestic ducks and geese separate from other poultry;
• Wild game birds “caught up” during the open season must not be moved for a minimum of 21 days, subject to conditions within the declaration.
• Ensuring records are kept in line with the conditions within the declaration. Completing the mandatory biosecurity self-assessment checklist within 7 days. To help keep birds disease-free, we have created two biosecurity self-assessment checklists for commercial and small poultry keepers.
   

Keepers with more than 500 birds will also be required to take extra biosecurity measures, including restricting access to non-essential people, changing clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures, and cleaning and disinfecting vehicles.

Cllr Richard Church, Cabinet Member for a Safer Powys, said:

“As the risk to poultry from avian influenza remains high, it is important that we work closely with bird keepers to minimise the spread of avian influenza.

“All poultry are at risk from the spread of infectious diseases, and I urge bird keepers to be vigilant for signs of infection in their birds.”

Keepers must also remain vigilant for signs of disease. Avian Influenza is a notifiable disease, and any suspicion should be reported immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on 0300 303 8268.

Further information on avian influenza can be found on the Welsh Governments website at https://gov.wales/avian-influenza-bird-flu