Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a highly contagious disease, affecting both captive and wild birds. A rising number of cases has led to an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) across the UK, with a legal requirement for all bird keepers to follow strict biosecurity measures. This includes game farms and shoots, which will need to exercise good biosecurity practices throughout the rearing season.
What does it all mean for the shooting industry?
In the extreme, outbreaks at game farms would see their stock culled and shoots unable to be supplied. Restrictions on movement in areas near an outbreak could see a game farm unable to move birds off site or a shoot banned from releasing birds. As a gun, an outbreak could lead to your shooting for the forthcoming season increasing in cost or even days cancelled.
Once game birds have been released, they are technically wild birds and therefore not subject to the same legislation. However, once released, game birds must continue to be well managed by keepers. It is now vital that keepers’ management includes heightened biosecurity to help protect not just their own game birds and shoot, but industry as a whole.
Essential Biosecurity Measures
Whilst the release of game birds is a few months away, preparations should begin now to prepare release pens and sites.
Deter wild birds:
Avian Influenza can spread through faeces and respiratory secretions, so it is important to deter other wild birds, such as starlings and rooks from the area.
This may be done using bangers or hanging bird scarers.
Control Rodents:
When controlling rodent populations, it is important to limit the places in which rats can thrive, such as piles of logs or unused equipment near pens.
The use of rodenticides in open areas is now more restricted, but Harmonix Rodent Paste is an effective choice for certified users. Alternatively, trapping is an equally effective option, available to everyone. Spring traps should placed in tunnels either under or close to feeders.
Clean water:
Minimising access to open water wherever possible is important. Enclosed nipple drinkers, such as the Quill Adjustable Tank Drinker, keep drinking water clean and uncontaminated.
If open drinkers such as bell drinkers are used then the addition of organic acids to the water, such as Quill Boost Tonic, is advisable. Lowering the pH will instantly reduce the growth of pathogens in the water, whilst also providing benefits to the birds’ gut health.
Header tanks must be covered and closed to limit contamination.
The HPAI virus can survive for long periods on a range of surfaces and can be spread by footwear, clothing, vehicles and on equipment.
Reduce Unnecessary Movements:
Access by non-essential visitors, dogs and vehicles should be restricted and monitored. Additionally, it is important to consider your own movements between different rearing pens and release sites.
All footwear should be regularly disinfected in a boot-dip containing a Defra-approved disinfectant, such as FAM 30, positioned at the entrance of each release site or pen.
Vehicles wheels and high-traffic hard areas should be sprayed regularly with an approved disinfectant with a good residual action such as GPC8.
Equipment:
Feeders, drinkers and other equipment should be cleaned and disinfected with a Defra-approved disinfectant before use or if moving between sites.
