Bird keepers throughout Lincolnshire are preparing to adhere to stringent new housing regulations, designed to discourage the dissemination of bird flu. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has revealed that from 00:01 GMT on Thursday, it is obligatory for poultry proprietors within the county to confine their flocks indoors. This policy will apply especially to those responsible for over 50 birds and vendors of poultry products. Such precautions, as expressed by UK chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss, are vital in safeguarding the livelihoods of poultry farmers and ensuring the welfare of the birds under their protection. “Avian influenza has the potential to wreak havoc amongst poultry farmers and can instigate severe welfare complications for the birds they tend to,” she declared.
This directive is part of a broader Avian Influenza Prevention Zone that extends across all of Great Britain, obliging the enforcement of improved biosecurity measures. Lincolnshire attendants are strongly encouraged to store feed and bedding indoors, in addition to ensuring the disinfection of outfits, footwear, and equipment. British Poultry Council’s chief executive, Richard Griffiths, underscored the importance of careful observation and adherence to curtail the transmission of this disease. He urged that Defra “should continue to keep a close eye on the situation and be prepared to prolong the housing order if the danger escalates in future.”
