It is important that all livestock keepers familiarise themselves with the symptoms of notifiable diseases in animals. These are diseases that because of their seriousness must, where there is any suspicion, be notified immediately to the Divisional Veterinary Manager of Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA a DEFRA agency). In Buckinghamshire and Surrey the number to call is 01284 778150.
For more information please see the following information from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Gov.uk:
- A to Z of animal diseases
- Controlling disease in farm animals
- Disease prevention for livestock farmers
- Keeping livestock healthy, disease controls and prevention
Avian Flu update: Mandatory housing measures from 7 November 2022
Mandatory housing measures for all poultry and captive birds are to be introduced to all areas of England from one minute past midnight on Monday 7 November, as announced on Monday 31 October.
The housing measures legally require all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow stringent biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the disease, regardless of type or size.
This will extend the mandatory housing measures already in force in the hot spot areas of Suffolk, Norfolk and parts of Essex to the whole of England, following an increase in the national risk of bird flu in wild birds to very high. See this press release (GOV.UK) for more information.
Guidance on biosecurity measures for poultry and kept birds may be found on the Defra's avian flu advice.
Keepers should familiarise themselves with Defra's avian flu advice and report suspicion of disease to APHA on Tel: 0300 0200 301.
Important information regarding wild birds
- Dead wild birds may be infected so don't touch them unless wearing suitable protective clothing. When found on publicly owned land and a decision is taken to remove them, it is the local authorities' responsibility to safely dispose of the carcases as animal by-products.
- Poultry keepers and members of the public should consult Defra's latest guidance to check the threshold for reporting dead wild birds to the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77 and not touch or pick them up.
