A FARMERS union is calling on the Scottish Government to follow England in imposing strict biosecurity measures across all poultry farms to protect flocks from avian flu.
In England, the UK Government has ordered that all poultry must be kept indoors from November 7.
The country is currently enduring its worst ever outbreak, with the disease being detected at more than 70 poultry farms since the start of October.
In Scotland, cases of bird flu have been recorded on poultry farms in Aberdeenshire, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides in recent weeks.
Yet despite the country’s chief veterinary officer Sheila Voas insisting that Scotland will not be following England’s example and imposing mandatory housing measures, NFU Scotland is calling on producers to house their flocks indoors regardless.
NFU Scotland’s poultry working group chair Robert Thompson told The National that the precarious economic situation for producers was impacting their health and wellbeing.
He said: “Scottish and GB poultry keepers have had to live with the heightened threat of avian influenza at this time of year for several years now, linked to wild and migratory birds.
“In light of the rising number of confirmed avian influenza cases across Great Britain, NFU Scotland is pleased that new mandatory housing measures will be implemented in England from November 7 and are calling on the Scottish Government to follow suit.
“As poultry producers, the health and welfare of our birds is our number one priority, and introducing housing measures alongside the existing additional biosecurity requirements can hugely help minimise the spread of this devasting disease.
“Producers are deeply worried about the current situation which is also having a negative impact their own health and wellbeing.”
He added that some producers would be unlikely to survive an outbreak and urged poultry keepers across the country to take preventative measures:
“The potential impacts of infection are immense especially at a time of general hardship.
“Many businesses will not survive an outbreak and many more will be considering the wisdom of continuing in poultry, especially free range, if they are not able to control the risks effectively.
“The Scottish Government need to start listening to the industry and showing support for the sector.
“We remain in active discussions with Scottish Government and the Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland and while we await their decision on any changes to current biosecurity requirements, I urge every poultry keeper, whether you have one hen in the back garden or a large poultry business, to take biosecurity measures seriously and take steps to protect your birds from this devastating disease.”
Richard Griffiths, CEO of the British Poultry Council, has also called on Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to follow England in housing all poultry.
In an interview with The Grocer, he noted that up to 35% of the UK’s free-range turkey flock had now been lost to the avian flu outbreak.
“I hope Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland follow, any small reduction in risk is welcome,” he said.
“That part of the sector has been hit very hard, though indoor-reared producers have been OK-ish so far,”
“Avian flu just adds to the many cost of production challenges producers have been facing.
“There are now big question marks over whether many seasonal free-range turkey producers will take the risk or sit next year’s production out.”
There are fears that because the disease now appears to be endemic to wild birds that the risk for commercial flocks will continue year-round, potentially spelling an end to the UK’s free-range egg industry.
Farmers are permitted to label their eggs as free-range for up to 16 weeks after a compulsory housing order is imposed.
However, after that date they must be labelled as “barn eggs” – a change which could signal an end to the premium prices consumers in the UK are willing to pay for free-range produce.
