The Chief Veterinary Officers across the UK has encouraged all poultry keepers to take immediate action to reduce the risk of disease over the winter.

Responding to Defra’s avian influenza announcement, BFREPA CEO Robert Gooch said: "We support the push from Defra to encourage all poultry keepers to take steps to reduce the risk of an avian influenza outbreak in the UK. An outbreak is capable of decimating a poultry business overnight.

"It is likely fewer free range egg producers now fall inside HRAs, which are something of a postcode lottery for businesses.

"Defra has indicated that in the event of an AI Prevention Zone being implemented, a housing order will not be automatically targeted at HRAs, and we will hold them to that.

"However, in the event of a compulsory housing order for free range hens in HRAs, BFREPA would like to see a regional or ‘all-in all-out’ policy adopted, rather than creating a situation where producers in HRAs are forced to house hens while nearby units outside an HRA remain unaffected."

Further Reading

You can visit the Avian Flu page by clicking here.