News item | 11-21-2022 | 14:34
In Koudum (municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân, province of Friesland), bird flu has been diagnosed on a farm with grandparent animals for broilers. To prevent the virus from spreading, the approximately 29,000 chickens at the location are being culled by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
There are no other poultry farms within the 1 and 3 kilometer zone of the company that is now infected. There are seven other poultry farms in the 10-kilometre zone around the infected farm. The transport ban applies immediately in this area.
Transport ban
A transport ban applies to all birds and hatching and consumption eggs from a location with birds. The ban also applies to bird manure and used litter, and to other animals and animal products from poultry farms.
In addition, rules apply to hunting in the 10-kilometre zone. For example, in this area it is prohibited to hunt ducks or to hunt in areas where this may disturb waterfowl. Where exactly this is can be seen on the animal disease viewer of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
National measures
Since October 5, 2022, the national confinement and shielding obligation has been in force. The penning obligation applies to keepers of commercially kept birds. The protection obligation applies to keepers of zoos, children’s farms and owners of hobby birds – insofar as this concerns gallinaceous birds/chickens, waterfowl and ratites. The obligation to shield means that these keepers are obliged to shield the said animals in order to prevent the birds from coming into contact with sick wild birds or their droppings as much as possible. This can be done, for example, by keeping the animals in an aviary. on the NVWA website you can find more information about how this can best be done.
Traceability investigation
In the context of the contamination at this location, a tracing investigation is carried out into high-risk contacts as usual. If necessary, additional measures will follow on the basis of the results of the investigation. Any additional measures will be reported via an update in this press release and via the online channels of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV).