Commitment to poultry farming across the country after the case of the Zeewolde bird flu

Since 12 noon, the poultry house commitment has been in effect across the country, after bird flu was detected on an organic poultry farm in Zeewold. According to the Department of Agriculture, this is related to highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5). To prevent further contamination, the company of nearly 36,000 animals was culled.

The reservation obligation applies to all businesses that raise commercial poultry. Outgoing Minister Skoten decided to take this measure due to the risk of a further outbreak of the disease in Zeewolde, but also because more and more dead wild birds were found in the northern Netherlands. In Germany, too, there are reports of infected wild birds.

Raising poultry indoors reduces the risk of spreading the virus from wild birds to farm poultry. Zoos, petting zoos, and hobbyist bird and chicken keepers should protect their animals as much as possible from wild birds and bird droppings.

transport ban

In the 3km area around the farm in Zeewolde where bird flu was diagnosed, there are still six poultry farms. This is also under investigation. The Minister imposed a ban on transportation for an area of ​​10 km around the organic farm. This means that no poultry may be moved, but used eggs, manure and litter may not be transported either.

Over a year ago, on October 22, 2020, the Department of Agriculture announced the penultimate national confinement commitment for bird flu. Chickens in Gelderland, Overijssel, Limburg and North Brabant were not allowed out until eight months later. Other regions followed at the beginning of July. Until then, experts did not rule out the continued spread of the virus among wild birds.