Norfolk poultry farmer says run-up to Christmas will be stressful as new bird flu rules take effect
Farmers across Norfolk say the timing of new bird flu housing rules will make preparations for the busy Christmas season extremely difficult
Poultry keepers in Norfolk will have to house their birds from the end of October under new government rules to tackle avian influenza. The measures apply to anyone with more than fifty birds, or those selling eggs and poultry products, after an increase in cases across the region.
Mark Gorton, who runs Traditional Norfolk Poultry, said the industry faces an anxious few weeks as it gears up for the Christmas period.
“It’s going to be extremely stressful,” he said. “We’re just starting to prepare for Christmas with all the turkeys, and they’re still running around on the ground. Everyone’s on tenterhooks, worrying whether their flocks will stay safe.”
Mark said he supports the housing order as a way to protect birds but added that any outbreak would be devastating.
“As much as we do to protect our birds, sometimes it’s outside of our control,” he said. “The first sign you get of the disease is you’ll find a bird that’s died, and from then on it’s incredibly difficult.”
He said the order will affect all types of poultry keepers, not just commercial farms.
“This disease affects all birds,” he said. “There are also many people with small backyard flocks, and everyone needs to be on high alert and follow the government’s biosecurity guidance.”
The housing measures form part of wider action across northern, central and eastern England, with all poultry keepers urged to take extra precautions to prevent the spread of avian influenza.
Recent government data shows several confirmed cases of avian influenza in Norfolk and nearby counties, leading to the new regional housing order. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said multiple infected wild birds have been found across East Anglia, increasing the risk of the virus spreading to commercial and backyard flocks.
In addition to the housing requirement, DEFRA has set up a number of local disease control zones where cases have been confirmed. These zones usually extend three kilometres around an infected site, with a wider ten-kilometre surveillance area. Within these zones, bird movements are restricted, and strict cleansing and disinfection rules apply.
Officials say the wider housing order across northern, central and eastern England is a preventative step, aimed at stopping the virus from reaching more flocks as migration season continues. They are urging all poultry keepers, from large farms to smallholders, to maintain high biosecurity by keeping feed and water covered, disinfecting footwear and equipment, and preventing wild birds from mixing with kept poultry.
DEFRA says the risk to human health remains very low and that poultry products and eggs are safe to eat if properly cooked.