The government has today (Tuesday, March 19) announced new measures aiming to better protect the UK poultry sector from future avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks.
Under the changes there will be new requirements for all bird keepers – regardless of the size of their flock – to officially register their birds.
Currently, only those who keep 50 or more poultry must do so, limiting the effectiveness of our national disease control measures.
Bird keepers will need to provide information, including their contact details, the location where birds are kept and details of the birds, including species, number and what they are kept for.
In England and Wales keepers are encouraged to register their birds ahead of the deadline on October 1, 2024.
In Scotland, keepers should register from September 1, 2024 when there will be a new Scottish Kept Bird Register in place.
The new rules cover owners of backyard flocks, birds of prey and pigeon fanciers, but do not affect caged pet birds (excluding any poultry species) kept entirely inside a domestic dwelling, such as a parrot, canary or budgie, which never leaves the property other than to visit a vet or another short-term period.
The requirements will be set out in legislation shortly and keepers will also be legally required to update their information on an annual basis.
Bird flu
The government said that by registering their birds, keepers will ensure they receive important updates relevant to them, such as any local bird flu outbreaks, along with information on biosecurity rules.
This will help to manage potential disease outbreaks, such as avian influenza and Newcastle disease, and limit any spread.
The information on the register will also be used to identify all bird keepers in disease control zones, allowing for more effective surveillance, so that zones can be lifted at the earliest possible opportunity and trade can resume more quickly following an outbreak of avian disease in Britain.
The changes follow the UK’s worst ever outbreak of avian influenza, with more than 360 cases across Britain since late October 2021, including in a significant number of backyard flocks.
Disease
UK chief veterinary officer (CVO), Christine Middlemiss, said that the new rules will provide “a full picture of the number and location of birds kept across Great Britain, making it easier to track and manage the spread of avian disease”.
“This information will be vital in helping to inform future risk assessments and maintain our commitment to continually building our extensive avian influenza research portfolio,” she said.
Sheila Voas, CVO for Scotland added that the changes are “a necessary step to help protect the health of kept birds and the general public from future avian disease risks”.
“We have faced challenges during previous outbreaks in clearly communicating the changes in both risk and mandatory biosecurity requirements to bird keepers, particularly smallholders and backyard keepers.
“This approach will enable us all to be better prepared and protected against a future pandemic,” she said.
Richard Irvine, CVO for Wales confirmed that the Animal and Plant Health Association (APHA) will also be able to contact bird keepers if there is a notifiable disease outbreak in their area.
This proposal follows a consultation carried out last year and brings forward a recommendation from the 2018 Dame Glenys Stacey Review and lessons identified from the 2021/2022 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreak and previous HPAI outbreaks.
