23/09/2022
BIRD FLU - ADVICE
Clients are calling almost daily now requesting information on steps they should take to enhance their existing Biosecurity now the number of Avian Influenza cases is rising nationally.
While the majority of reported cases are in domestic/commercially reared poultry, everyone that keeps birds must do their bit to help control this terrible disease
We have put the advice below together for Gamebirds, also the attached pdf file, and I will post shortly a link to a very good article on the level of Biosecurity taken at many commercial broiler/laying flock sites as well.
If clients would like a pdf of the advice to circulate to Guns/Beaters/Pickers-up then email or message me
***********************************************************8
Shoot biosecurity – Avian Influenza (AI)
HELP PROTECT YOUR BIRDS FROM THE RISK OF BIRD FLU
Bird flu is HIGHLY contagious and can survive for very long periods on surfaces, vehicles,
and clothes, in feathers and in infected carcases.
Beaters, loaders, pickers up, deer stalkers, etc and even dogs that go from shoot to shoot
present a significant risk to each shoot. Guns perhaps less so unless they assist in
collecting the game.
If any person/dog that encounters a site with dead wild birds / game and/or has been in
a restricted AI zone should NOT visit any other shoot for a minimum 72 hours. All
clothing, footwear, vehicles and equipment should be thoroughly washed and
disinfected.
Keep a visitors’ book, and detail contact with birds within the last 72 hours. EVERYONE on
site needs to sign the book. Restrict access by non-essential visitors and dogs.
PEOPLE AND VEHICLES
Anyone attending a shoot should follow good personal biosecurity and should regularly
cleanse and disinfect clothing, footwear and vehicles – this is particularly important if they
have any contact with game birds, poultry or other captive birds.
Use Foot dips at entrances to each site and at congregation points between drives
containing DEFRA approved disinfectant products.
Footbaths should have a lid to prevent rainwater diluting the disinfectant and the
contents should be regularly replaced with fresh material (maximum every 3 days). Supply
a brush to ensure footwear is properly cleansed and disinfected.
All vehicles should be clean on arrival and regularly washed, including trailers (people
carriers such as beaters’ and guns’ trailers and game cart). Spray wheels and wheel arches
upon entry and when leaving the site.
GUN DOGS
Do not feed uncooked shot or culled birds to dogs or allow them to eat dead wild birds.
Well cooked birds can be safely consumed by humans and animals alike. Dogs are known
to have contracted certain strains of flu and may act as an intermediate host.
H5N1 has been shown experimentally to replicate in dogs and shed virus so dogs who
have been working on known infected sites should not be then worked on other shoots.
HANDLING GAME
Clean and disinfect the game larder and vehicle and containers used to transport dead
game routinely with an approved DEFRA (or FSA) disinfectant. Don’t forget to clean the
wheels, under wheel arches, and foot wells in the vehicle.
OTHER MEASURES
Discourage wildfowl and sea birds from mixing with game where possible and legal.
Game should be fed away from wetlands and water. Minimise the chance of other wild
birds accessing their feed by feeding in covered feeders.
Use a water sanitiser in the drinking water.
Try to limit feed spillages and clean up spilt feed. Store feed indoors away from wild birds.
Dead wild birds or game should be disposed of appropriately
If you keep poultry or other birds, wash your hands and clean and disinfect your footwear
as a minimum before tending to your birds. Ideally have separate equipment and personal
protective equipment at each locations.
While these recommendations cannot guarantee infection will be prevented, they
should go a long way towards reducing the risk.
Find the latest updates and more information about the disease on the government’s
website https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu
