Poultry keepers, who have not already registered their flocks have been reminded to apply for registration immediately by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in recent days.

The Department issued the reminder recently following recent cases of Avian Flu in the UK, Netherlands and Germany.

Anyone who keeps poultry, who deals or trades in poultry, including those persons who keep small numbers of poultry for their own use are legally bound to register their premises with the Department under the Control on Places where Poultry are kept Regulations 2014.

The registration of premises ensures the Department can alert owners quickly in the event of a disease outbreak and also give advice on appropriate precautionary, containment and control measures.

Application forms (PR1) for registration may be obtained from the Department’s website, your Regional Department office or from the Department’s Animal Health Division on 01 6072466.

Completed registration forms should be submitted through your Regional Department Office – contact details on www.agriculture.gov.ie/contact

Horse owners have also been advised by the Department of Agriculture to register their equine stock.

Following advice received by the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council (FAWAC), the Department is advises horse owners to adhere to the legal requirement for all equines to be properly identified within six months of the date of birth of the animal or within the calendar year of the animal’s birth (whichever is the later).

It says this requires equines born in 2014, prior to July 1, to be identified by December 31.