Avian Flu Update - Register Your Rare Poultry Breeds Today With The RBST

On 5th June, Defra confirmed that the Avian Influenza present in laying hens on a premises near Banbury in Oxfordshire is the highly pathogenic H7N7 strain. Investigations are ongoing with a control zone established around the infected premises with a 3km inner core and a 10km outer zone.

To help poultry and egg producers and others whose business is affected by disease control restrictions, Defra have provided a timeline for lifting restrictions. Click here for details.

The RBST urges keepers of rare poultry breeds to register their birds on the RBST Avian Influenza questionnaire. RBST's Assistant Conservation Officer , Claire Barber said, "This information is vital in helping us pinpoint the numbers and distribution of our rare poultry breeds. When Avian Influenza outbreaks occur we need to asses how devasting the consequences could be to our rare breeds and to be able to inform Defra of the situation".

Register your poultry numbers if you have the birds listed below, by downloading the form below (MsWord) and emailing it to enquiries@rbst.org.uk or post it using our free post service.

Ancona, Andalusian, Brussbar, Buff Orpington, Campine, Cream Legbar, Croad Langshan, Derbyshire Redcap, Dorking, Hamburg, Indian/Cornish Game, Ixworth, Legbar, Marsh Daisy, Minorca, Modern Game, Modern Langshan, Nankin, Old English Game, Old English Pheasant Fowl, Orpington, Rhodebar, Rosecomb, Scots Dumpy, Scots Grey, Sebright, Spanish, Sultan, Sussex (coloured), Sussex (light), Sussex (white), Welbar.

Keepers of cattle, sheep, pigs and goats can register their native breeds on line via the Breeds at Risk register, here on the RBST web site. This ensures that these livestock keepers can benefit from any special measures that may apply or come into force for the conservation of breeds at risk in the event of a future FMD outbreak.

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