Summary:
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Beginning the following week, poultry and captive birds can once more be kept outside as the risk of bird flu decreases, the government announced on Tuesday.
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The “mandatory housing order” for England and Wales, according to the Chief Veterinary Officer, will be lifted at 00:01 on Tuesday, April 18. The procedures were implemented during the largest bird flu outbreak in history.
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Over the past year, 4 million birds have been killed, and more than 330 cases have been documented in the UK. The ruling permits the rebranding of eggs from hens that have access to outdoor spaces as “free-range” products.
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This most recent outbreak has caused the deaths of 208 million birds worldwide and 200 cases of the virus spreading to animals.
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In Scotland, the housing order was never carried out because the country’s senior vet concluded the facts did not support such a move, while birds in Northern Ireland remain under lockdown.
Beginning the following week, poultry and captive birds can once more be kept outside as the risk of bird flu decreases, the government announced on Tuesday.
The “mandatory housing order” for England and Wales, according to the Chief Veterinary Officer, will be lifted at 00:01 on Tuesday, April 18.
The procedures were implemented during the largest bird flu outbreak in history.
Over the past year, 4 million birds have been killed, and more than 330 cases have been documented in the UK.
The ruling permits the rebranding of eggs from hens that have access to outdoor spaces as “free-range” products.
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What is bird flu, and why is it so severe this year?
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As bird flu spreads, a warning to “keep birds inside” is issued.
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EU and UK mass slaughter due to record avian flu outbreak
Dr. Christine Middlemiss, the Chief Veterinary Officer of the UK, continued to issue a warning, stating that “scrupulous standards” of biosecurity must be upheld as long as avian flu is anticipated to continue to circulate in the environment for a number of weeks.
While the relaxation of the necessary housing restrictions would be good news, Ms. Middlemiss emphasized that birdkeepers need to be attentive now more than ever because of the extraordinary nature of this outbreak.
This most recent outbreak has caused the deaths of 208 million birds worldwide and 200 cases of the virus spreading to animals.
The risk to the general public, however, is very minimal, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Robert Gooch, chief executive of the British Free Range Egg Farmers Association (Bfrepa), stated: “Free-range egg farmers will be relieved to see their chickens outside again.
Hens enjoy scratching, taking dust baths, and scavenging for extra food when on the range, showing the instinctive characteristics that people identify with the production of free-range and organic eggs.
In Scotland, the housing order was never carried out because the country’s senior vet concluded the facts did not support such a move, while birds in Northern Ireland remain under lockdown.
