Avian Influenza

Dairy farms in Kansas and Texas have been affected

Poultry farmers and industry experts attended this years NFU poultry research seminar to discuss the latest news in the poultry industry. Ellie Layton reports.

The risk levels are still considered to be too high for gatherings of ducks, geese and swans, which will remain prohibited

APHA confirmed a 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone had been declared around the affected farm

A partner in Mathison (Farmers) Leven, East Yorkshire, appeared at Beverley Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 31 January, in relation to animal health and food safety offences

NFU deputy president, Tom Bradshaw said the industry was ‘seeing austerity in action', adding APHA were doing everything it could within its budget, but Government must give them better resources

It was argued APHA had wrongly interpreted the law underpinning its compensation scheme and failed to properly compensate affected farmers for birds, which were healthy at the point at which it decided they should be culled

Government says proposed changes will reduce the pressure on industry during an avian influenza outbreak

UK's Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Christine Middlemiss said there was not any evidence to demonstrate it was a ‘circulating virus', with all the infections being incursion of infected midges

Dr Richard Irvine, who started the role in March 2023, said an expected assessment of the bTB target next year will serve as a ‘formal checkpoint' and an opportunity to ‘take stock' on the issue