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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 31st October 2022
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Poultry housing order announced across England
The housing order comes into force at midnight on Monday, 7 November.
Measures legally require all bird keepers to keep their flocks indoors.

Captive birds and poultry in England must be kept inside from next week, regardless of type or size, the UK government has announced.

Chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said the decision “has not been taken lightly, but it is the best way to protect your birds from this highly infectious disease.”

The order comes into force at midnight on Monday, 7 November, under which bird keepers must keep their birds indoors and follow stringent biosecurity measures to protect their flocks from the disease.

It extends the mandatory housing measures already in force across parts of East Anglia following an increase in the national risk of avian flu in wild birds to “very high”.

Since October 2021, the UK has seen more than 200 confirmed cases of avian influenza - the largest-ever outbreak of the disease. The introduction of the housing measures comes after cases were confirmed at more than 70 premises in the past month alone, and multiple reports in wild birds.

Ms Middlemiss is now urging all bird keepers across England to use the coming days to prepare, including taking steps to safeguard animal welfare, consult their vet and expand housing where necessary. 

"We are now facing this year, the largest-ever outbreak of bird flu and are seeing rapid escalation in the number of cases on commercial farms and in backyard birds across England. The risk of kept birds being exposed to disease has reached a point where it is now necessary for all birds to be housed until further notice," she said.

"Scrupulous biosecurity and separating flocks in all ways, from wild birds remain the best form of defence. Whether you keep just a few birds or thousands, from Monday 7 November onwards, you must keep your indoors. This decision has not been taken lightly, but is the best way to protect your birds from this highly infectious disease.”

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.