Call for housing order to be introduced to 'protect poultry flocks'
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has been urged to introduce a housing order to protect poultry flocks from the risk of bird flu.
Disease control measures are now in force in Northern Ireland following a suspected case of bird flu on a commercial poultry premises in Co. Tyrone and preliminary positive results for bird flu at a commercial poultry premises near Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh.
Temporary Control Zones (TCZ) are currently in place in Co. Tyrone and Co. Fermanagh.
The UK chief veterinary officer has also confirmed that a mandatory housing order for the whole of England will come into effect on Thursday (November 6) to protect poultry and other captive birds.
The new measures will mean that bird keepers in England must house all poultry and captive birds if they keep more than 50 or if they sell or give eggs away.
Poultry
The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) said it believes a housing order will also come into effect on Thursday in Northern Ireland and today (Tuesday, November 4) it urged DAFM and the National Disease Control Centre (NDCC) to introduce similar protective measures in Ireland.
The IFA Poultry Committee has warned that against the backdrop of "increasing risk" a housing order is now needed.
Fota Wildlife Park today confirmed that it will be forced to remain closed until the end of November because of the ongoing bird flu situation.
Last month samples taken from captive birds which died at Fota Wildlife Park tested positive for avian influenza virus (H5N1) or bird flu.
In a statement today the park added: "Unfortunately, 12 cases of avian influenza have been confirmed within Fota Wildlife Park’s collection since the outbreak began.
"As a result, the difficult decision was reached to humanely euthanise 73 birds from the park’s collection, as a limited population management measure for non-endangered avian species.
"The park is expected to remain closed for a minimum of three weeks, at which point the situation will be assessed again".
Bird flu
Biosecurity regulations which require all flock keepers to apply specific measures for poultry and other captive birds came into effect, North and South, last Saturday (November 1) because of the "increasing risk to poultry and captive birds during the higher-risk period for avian influenza".
However IFA's poultry chair, Nigel Sweetnam believes the "risk level has clearly intensified".
"Additional protective measures including a housing order should now be strongly considered to minimise the risk of disease spread and the department is closely assessing the situation,” Sweetnam said.
