Avian Flu in Suffolk

Cambridgeshire Trading Standards and Civil Protection Departments are closely monitoring the outbreak of Avian Flu in Suffolk. A contingency plan is in place to deal with any outbreak reported within Cambridgeshire. To the best of our current knowledge there are no connections between the infected premise in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire poultry keepers and there have been no reported cases of Avian Flu in Cambridgeshire.

However to minimise risk of the disease spreading, DEFRA have issued the following Biosecurity advice

Biosecurity and advice to farmers

• All bird keepers, throughout the UK, should continue their efforts to maintain high levels of biosecurity (please see the Defra website for further biosecurity advice link ), and ensure they have plans in place to bring their birds indoors should it become necessary.
• Defra has issued extensive guidance to bird keepers on biosecurity measures to protect their birds from avian influenza, which is also available on the Defra website. It is crucial that keepers follow these measures.
• Poultry owners should plan how they will manage any free range birds if there is a need to isolate them from wild birds. Advice is to keep birds away from wild birds by feeding and watering birds indoors where possible. Bird feed and any standing water should be kept free from contamination by wild birds and other animals. Poultry owners should make sure that hands, clothes and footwear are clean before and after contact with birds. Owners need to be vigilant and monitor their birds frequently.
• Defra are running advertising campaigns in trade and specialist publications to raise awareness of biosecurity and avian influenza.

The advice on discovery of dead wild birds remains as previously issued.