Industry News - PM

HPAI fallout: Major culling, new reports, arrest threats


By Chris Scott on 12/13/2016

The expanding outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Asia and Europe are sparking more extensive biosecurity measures, even as new outbreaks are being reported and U.K. officials threaten to arrest farmers who transport birds in violation of new laws.

Authorities in South Korea announced that the total number of birds culled in the wake of an H5N6 avian influenza outbreak in the last 27 days has reached 8.8 million so far and an additional 1.5 million more are expected to be slaughtered. 

South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has already strictly limited the movement of poultry in affected areas for 48 hours in an effort to stem the outbreak, which has hit 43 areas, according to several media reports. Officials are concerned that the colder weather that reduces the effectiveness of bird flu vaccines is working against other biosecurity efforts across the nation, according to a report in the Korea Times. The ban on poultry movement also may be extended to Dec. 23, the report added. 

Meanwhile, France has culled more than 50,000 birds after new outbreaks were discovered five different farms, including one in the southwest part of the country, according to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). French authorities have established protection zones and surveillance zones after confirmation of outbreaks following unusual mortality levels and clinical signs of H5N8 infection were noted in the past week. 

Dutch authorities also ordered the culling of 63,000 broiler hens after confirmation of the fourth outbreak of HPAI so far this winter, according to a report from Channel NewsAsia. The Netherlands is one of the largest poultry producers in Europe and biosecurity measures against the spread of HPAI now include a ban on the transport of all poultry materials, including eggs and straw in a perimeter near the farm where the latest outbreak was discovered. 

Finally, farmers and bird owners in Bedfordshire, England, are being warned that they face possible prison time if they fail to keep their birds away from potential carriers of HPAI from Europe. With the entire U.K. declared a prevention zone, the Dept. for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has established penalties — including fines, arrests and imprisonment — if poultry, captive or pet birds are not completely separated from wild birds until at least Jan. 6, according to local reports. No cases of H5N8 have been reported in the United Kingdom so far, although U.K. officials are taking their concerns about the virus being brought across the English Channel from mainland Europe very seriously.


 
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