Bird Flu is Becoming a Big Problem for Poultry Farmers

French officials have declared a state of emergency due to avian flu. Farmers in the nation must now keep their chicken flocks indoors as a result of the elevated classification. 

It comes only a week after a similar injunction was given to commercial farms in the neighbouring Netherlands. The poultry lockdown has already been in effect in several regions of France since September. 

Since the beginning of August, 130 cases or outbreaks of avian influenza have been found in wildlife or farms around Europe, primarily along the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts, with three outbreaks in German farms. Simultaneously, the confinement of all professional farms in the Netherlands was ordered following the discovery of an epidemic in a laying hen farm. Since October 19, six outbreaks have been reported at broiler turkey farms in the Verona area of Italy. 

In this scenario, and with the migratory season approaching, France is in a state of high alert. Three polluted backyards have been detected in the Ardennes and Aisne provinces. France believes that the shutdown will prevent a repetition of last year's outbreak, when avian flu was discovered in roughly 500 places. The production of foie gras from ducks in southwestern France was significantly interrupted as a result. 

The increased danger does not call into doubt France's classification as a "country free of avian influenza" as of September 2. 

The rise in risk is in response to scientific and health advice, with the goal of safeguarding itself as much as possible from the dramatic implications for the poultry industries, which are already severely impacted by the November 2020-May 2021 crisis.  

Where else has bird flu hit? 

According to the Dutch agricultural ministry, around 36,000 animals were slaughtered at the farm to limit the spread of the illness. Recently Namibia banned imports and in-transit movement of live poultry and poultry products from Germany and the Netherlands. The Netherlands confirmed a new outbreak of highly virulent H5 bird flu in ducks at a poultry farm in the central region of Flevoland on Thursday

After a handful of instances of bird flu were discovered in wild birds, Britain established a statewide Avian Influenza Prevention Zone on Wednesday, forcing farmers and bird keepers to tighten biosecurity measures.