Warwickshire’s Poultry Farmers Urged to Register
Poultry keepers with 50 or more birds are being urged to register their flocks now by Warwickshire County Council Trading Standard’s Animal Health Team.
Poultry keepers have until 28th February to register their flocks with DEFRA, if they have 50 or more birds. The information will then be placed upon the national poultry register. Premises with fewer than 50 birds are not required to register. However, they can voluntarily register their birds after 28 February if they wish to.
Noel Hunter, Director of Warwickshire Trading Standards said:
‘We very much hope that poultry flocks will remain disease-free but we cannot ignore the risk. The register will mean that a detailed picture of our flocks can be created, and with their location and their size identified this will mean that in the event of an outbreak all the services involved will be able to respond effectively.’
The Avian Influenza (Preventative Measures) Regulations 2005, require poultry keepers of 50 or more birds kept on commercial premises to keep a register.
For the purpose of the Great Britain Register "poultry " means all birds which are reared, given, sold, or kept in captivity for commercial purposes including: showing; breeding; the production of meat or eggs for consumption; the production of other commercial products; and restocking supplies of game.
This requirement does not apply to premises where all poultry (and their eggs) are kept by their owners for their own consumption, or as pets.
Keepers of poultry can register by:
calling a freephone number 0800 634 1112 and registering by phone
calling the above number and getting a registration form sent to them by post, completing and returning it, or by
downloading a form from the DEFRA website and returning it.
The register is supported by the National Farmers’ Union, the British Poultry Council and the National Gamekeepers Organisation.