Can you spare an hour over the next few days? We feel it is certainly worth listening to advice about protecting our birds. Bird flu is not just a problem for commercial flocks. APHA are running a series of webinars aimed specifically at smallholders/hobby keepers/pet keepers. Specific meetings are available for commercial producers and veterinarians too. Register and full details HERE.
Avian influenza is a cyclical problem, and right now we seem to be at a high point with infections. If your birds become sick with bird flu and end up being culled, you will not be able to restock within a year. We can all take measures to improve our biosecurity.
This advice comes from the British Free Range Egg Producers Association:
Biosecurity, Biosecurity & Biosecurity!
We cannot stress enough in this rampant AI outbreak how important it is for everyone to ramp up biosecurity. In addition to the biosecurity messages already made in previous newsletters, it is now clear that the current H5N1 virus is so virulent that boot dipping is not sufficient to kill the virus. Boots must be changed between sheds.
It has also become clear that the virus could be spread on hands. If you handle an (infected) hen in a shed, and change boots and overalls, you could still spread the virus to another shed on your hands. Wash hands thoroughly between shed visits.
Resources such as biosecurity posters and guides can be found on the BFREPA AI pages at http://www.bfrepa.co.uk/ai-guide/ Scroll down to the downloads at the bottom of the page. Take action!
Remember high biosecurity is your best defence against AI.
