Craven Arms poultry farmer welcomes relaxing of bird flu restrictions

Defra has announced that all poultry in England will be allowed back outside, because of the diminishing risk of an outbreak of the disease. That affects the five Higher Risk zones in place in Shropshire.

However, all bird keepers will still have to comply with strict biosecurity measures, including minimising movement in and out of bird enclosures, cleaning boots, keeping birds' living areas clean and feeding birds indoors.

A ban on poultry gatherings also remains in force until further notice, Defra said.

David Mills, who has a broiler farm near Craven Arms and chairs the NFU's West Midlands poultry board, welcomed the news, and said that good weather since late March had helped prevent the disease's spread.

"The weather has been a big advantage," he said. "In areas where they were allowed out, farmers had to keep birds away from ponds and water gathering areas, and the way the weather has been has played into their hands because water hasn't been collecting.

"It also means that any wet droppings left about are drying up quickly, and that's the main form of transition.

"I know they have had a worse time than we have in Europe, with thousands of outbreaks compared with numbers in the teens here. God forbid is comes to us next winter.

"Hopefully at the end of April this whole thing will be lifted and we will be back to normal."

Mr Mills, who is also on the NFU's national poultry board, said the response of the bird rearing industry had also contributed to keeping a lid on the problem in the UK.

He said: "In the past a dead bird or two might have been put in the bin and nothing more said about it, but people have been more forthcoming and that gives us a better idea of what's going on.

"The market has also been very supportive and maintained prices."

The move does not mean the problem is over, however, and wild birds are still being found with avian flu in Europe.

Many are now migrating north, however, taking the disease away from Europe.

Chief veterinary officer Nigel Gibbens said: "Based on the latest evidence on reduced numbers of migratory and resident aquatic wild birds we believe that kept birds in the areas we previously designated as higher risk are now at the same level of risk as the rest of England and may now be let outside.

"However, all keepers must still observe strict disease prevention measures to reduce the risk of contamination from the environment, where the virus can survive for several weeks in bird droppings.

"This does not mean business as usual: the risk from avian flu has not gone away and a Prevention Zone remains in place, requiring keepers across England to take steps to prevent disease spreading."