Harrogate district poultry farmers doing what they can to prevent spread of bird flu
The H5N1 virus was first confirmed at a premises near Thirsk
Poultry farmers across the Harrogate district have said they're doing what they can to prevent the spread of bird flu.
Earlier this month, farmers in the Harrogate district, Hambleton and Richmondshire were told to lockdown their flocks to prevent any spread of bird flu but from today all UK poultry farmers must do the same.
Housing measures have been introduced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to protect poultry and captive birds following confirmed and suspected cases of avian influenza across the UK.
This mean that it will be a legal requirement for all producers across the UK to keep their birds indoors and to follow strict biosecurity measures to limit the spread of HPAI H5N1.
The H5N1 virus, which is highly contagious and can kill poultry flocks, was first confirmed at a premises near Thirsk.
Pathogenicity has been confirmed in all outstanding cases, meaning there are 17 cases of HPAI H5N1 so far.
A poultry farmer near Boroughbridge is assuring consumers that the industry is doing everything it can to keep flocks safe from bird flu.
Ben Mosey, owner at Yolk Farm Kitchen and Minskip Farm Shop, said:
"We've set up a system where we can open our doors to let some fresh air in and for the hens to see some sunlight but they can't actually venture out so we're trying to do our best for them going forward into the winter.
"Our main concern is that they'll be stuck inside; much like us when we went into lockdown. They might go a bit nuts and that's our biggest job now; keeping the hens entertained. As you can imagine if we all got locked up inside it can end quite badly and the hens can stress each other out."
Mr Mosey warned that outbreaks can take months to recover from and would lead to whole flocks being culled.
He added:
"Our biggest risk, other than wild birds, is humans. If I go out for a walk to a nice lake and stand in some duck poo I can easily bring part of that back onto my farm and if it was infected with any kind of disease there is quite a high chance I could bring that back to my flock.
"The impact is quite devastating. It would mean a complete cull of all remaining birds if we did have a case of bird flu. Then we would have to go through a process of clean down and it would then be checked by authorities to make sure we got everything. For us it would mean the egg production would have to stop for at least six to 12 months."
From last Sunday (21 November 2021), the prevention zone was declared in parts of North Yorkshire making it a legal requirement for all bird keepers in those areas to keep their birds indoors and to follow strict biosecurity measures in order to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease.
The Government Chief Veterinary Officer is urging bird keepers to act immediately in response to the new housing localised measures, including taking steps to safeguard animal welfare, consult their vet and where necessary put up additional housing.
Public health advice is that the risk to human health from the virus is very low and food standards bodies advise that avian influenza pose a very low food safety risk for UK consumers, and it does not affect the consumption of poultry products including eggs.