With a compulsory housing order in force in England, and cases of avian flu growing in Wales, bird keepers have been advised to take strict biosecurity measures to protect their flocks.

Disease can spread in a number ways, including through:

  • Movement of animals, people and machinery between and within farms
  • Introduction of new animals
  • Contact with neighbours’ livestock
  • Contamination by vermin and wild birds
  • Animals drinking from contaminated rivers and streams

What should I do?

  • Avoid bringing infection onto your farm, or spreading it around your farm, on your clothes, footwear or hands
  • Limit and control farm visitors and vehicles
  • Keep farm access routes, parking areas, yards, feeding and storage areas clean and tidy
  • Have pressure washers, brushes, hoses, water and disinfectant available and make sure visitors use them
  • Keep animal housing clean and well ventilated – do not overstock
  • Avoid sharing injecting and dosing equipment – if it can’t be avoided, cleanse and disinfect thoroughly
  • Clean and disinfect farm machinery and equipment (especially if sharing with another farm) and ensure contractors do the same
  • Provide livestock with a balanced and nutritious diet
  • Know the origins of bought-in livestock
  • Make a health plan with your vet, to include isolation for new or returning stock
  • Prevent contact with neighbours' livestock - keep your fences in good condition
  • Put pest control programmes in place
  • Fence off ponds, streams and rivers - supply clean fresh drinking water in troughs
  • Ensure identification and record keeping is accurate and up to date
  • Dispose of fallen stock properly
  • Be vigilant to any signs of disease - report suspicions of notifiable disease to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) as soon as possible
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Why should I be biosecure?

Serious animal disease outbreaks can be disastrous for producers. They cause significant personal stress and anguish, as well as financial hardship.