There currently are fewer outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (bird flu) in poultry and fewer detections in wild birds in Europe when compared to last year or 2021.
This is according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), which said that the bird flu situation is currently improving across Europe.
In Ireland, there has been no case of bird flu detected in poultry during 2023. So far this year 42 wild birds have tested positive, with the most recent case detected in September.
The DAFM has not yet been required to introduce enhanced biosecurity and confinement regulations for bird flu under the Animal Health and Welfare Act this autumn.
Despite the low levels of disease being detected in wild birds at this time, keepers of poultry and captive birds are advised to implement stringent biosecurity measures to mitigate risk.
The poultry chair of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), Nigel Sweetnam said the sector is thankful that bird flu has stayed away and that there is “no threat” to the Christmas dinner.
The fact that wild birds across Europe have been found to develop antibodies is a “massive help”, he said. Scottish researchers have found that some wild birds have developed immunity to avian flu.
Bird flu cases
Meanwhile, two bird flu outbreaks have been confirmed in commercial poultry at two different premises in England this week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said.
The cases were detected near Cranbrook in east Devon, and Wooler in Northumberland. A 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone have been declared around both premises.
Earlier this week France detected a bird flu outbreak on a turkey farm in the Brittany region, which is the country’s first case this autumn, the French agriculture ministry said.
The case occurred close to where an infected wild bird was found, and followed four previous bird flu cases in the wild bird population in recent days, the French ministry said.
Japan also detected its first bird flu case this season at a poultry farm in the south of the country, which will see about 40,000 birds culled on the farm, according to media reports.