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

Defra has today announced that the Surveillance Zone and remaining disease control area restrictions put in place following the outbreak of H7N7 avian influenza in Oxfordshire will lift on Tuesday 8 July.

Surveillance has shown that infection appears to have been contained to the single premises, and 30 days have now elapsed since preliminary cleansing and disinfection was completed on that premises.

Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer Alick Simmons said: "This incident has demonstrated again the potential for avian influenza to be introduced into domestic poultry in the UK. The risk of further incidents, while low, remains, and I urge poultry keepers to maintain the highest standards of biosecurity and to report suspicion of disease promptly."

The RBST recommends all 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 [1] 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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