Poultry should be allowed to leave the stable

Poultry should be allowed to leave the stable again

15/12/2014

After the bird flu virus broke out again recently, breeding poultry in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern had to be kept indoors for safety reasons. Researchers from the Friedrich Löffler Institute (FLI) had carried out a risk assessment after the outbreak of the epizootic disease. Accordingly, that is „Risk of introduction of avian influenza to Germany ... as high“ to rate. That's why the FLI recommended, „to arrange the housing of poultry on a risk-based basis, at least for poultry keeping in regions with high wild bird density or near wild bird rest areas.“

Now there are first considerations to loosen the stable obligation again. For example, Minister of Agriculture Til Backhaus said he would be able to repeal the stabling obligation for most of the country before Christmas. However, there should be a re-risk assessment of the FLI researchers beforehand. "All the facts are being weighed in. More than 3,700 feces and blood samples from wild poultry have been sampled in the country," Backhaus said. The prerequisite for this is that no further infections occur. "The virus found in a turkey population in Western Pomerania at the beginning of November and a wild duck shortly thereafter is a highly contagious variant that was previously only found in Asia." We do not yet know the infection pathways, which is why animal and human interests are highest Be careful, "said the minister. The comprehensive security measures were therefore necessary and recommended by the FLI.

As a result, a 3-kilometer restricted area was set up around the infested farm, which contained strict restrictions for breeders and traders of poultry. This could be lifted for the first of December again. The stable duty remained against it. Should it now be relaxed, but this does not apply nationwide. Minister Backhaus made it clear: "Bird migration is still ongoing, so domestic wildfowl risk areas will still not be able to access poultry in coastal areas and areas near large lakes and bodden waters." (Jp)