News

10 APRIL 2006

AVIAN INFLUENZA CONCERN AND THE CARE OF TURKEYS

The confirmed case of a swan with high pathogenic avian influenza in Scotland hopefully will not result in other outbreaks of the disease elsewhere in the UK. Tests on thousands of wild bird carcasses have been carried out in the last few months and tests on birds found in the Fife area recently have all proven to be negative so far.

However, the disease is obviously of concern to us all and I am being asked on a daily basis how can our turkeys be protected?

The main message is don’t panic. Avian influenza is currently not in the national poultry flock. It is a disease of birds and can only pass to humans if handling infected material. Everyone with turkeys and other poultry should be vigilant and look out for any signs of abnormality that could be a prelude to disease developing. Obviously, there are other diseases and ailments that poultry get and these should not be overlooked in a panic over thinking the problem could be the avian influenza virus.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) are saying, after liaison with a vast number of poultry, pigeon, cage birds, game bird organisations etc - including Turkey Club UK - that keeping your turkeys away from wild birds, where possible, will help to keep any risk of infection away. You do not need to house your birds, unless you are in a Protected Area where an outbreak of the disease has occurred. Having your birds is a wire or netted enclosure, preferably with a covering on the roof, so that wild birds or their faeces cannot come into direct contact with them is the prime objective in the first instance to help keep them safe.

Some keepers I am sure will find that difficult to do but equally, there are those with only a few turkeys that may be able to provide this protection for them. Keeping unnecessary personnel away from the birds is also recommended, unless you have them dip boots or put on protected clothing. Be cautious with your personal biosecurity as well. For instance, if you go to a wildfowl park or the seaside over the holidays, wash your shoes or boots on return in disinfectant, in case you have picked up some faeces. At present this should not pose a problem with no avian influenza found other than in the one wild swan but this is what being biosecure is all about. This may seem to you to be ‘way over the top’, but if you begin to think along these lines of biosecurity protection if there should be an outbreak you will be well prepared.

If your birds do need to be required to be housed by law, they should have a building or shed that is large enough for them and has plenty of ventilation and the temperature will not fluctuate too much if it should turn warmer whilst they are inside. If this is the garden shed, it is advisable to remove a window and cover the area with small chick mesh wire netting. This way there will be plenty of air for the birds but wild birds and rodents will not be able to enter. If they are in during summer weeks (or months), perhaps you could build a small mesh wire frame to go in the door area, so that the birds have more air.

Try to feed your birds inside if possible. This way any feed outside is not tempting wild birds to the area. When housed during an outbreak it is a good idea to give them a cabbage to peck at or apples, or other fruit to help keep them occupied and also to provide an interesting diet.

Whenever you have seen to your birds always wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

During the current period of checking dead birds, the following is advised :

• If you find a dead swan, goose or duck or three or more dead wild, or garden birds together in the same place, please report this to Defra, via the Defra Helpline on 08459 33 55 77. The current Defra Helpline opening hours are 6.00am to 10.00pm, Monday to Sunday.
   

• If the dead bird is a single, small garden or wild bird then you do not need to call Defra. To move a dead bird to bury it or place it in the normal household waste, always use disposable gloves or a plastic bag turned back on itself. Always wash your hands thoroughly afterwards and any clothing that may have become contaminated. These are hygiene precautions recommended at all times when handling dead birds, as birds can carry salmonella and campylobacter. They are not being given out because Defra fear that small garden birds may have avian influenza.

For the latest information on avian influenza, along with details of movement restrictions etc in the current Protected Area, Surveillance Area and Wild Bird Risk Area of Fife, please visit the Defra website. This has the latest update information on the special avian influenza pages. www.defra.gov.uk
 

NEWS ARCHIVE

06 APR 06 : AVIAN INFLUENZA IN SCOTLAND

10 FEB 06 : GREAT BRITAIN POULTRY REGISTER