Netherlands orders poultry indoors after three bird-flu outbreaks

The Netherlands has imposed a nationwide requirement to house or shield poultry after three bird-flu outbreaks were confirmed in three days. The measures are intended to reduce contact between kept birds and potentially infected wild birds as migration gets under way.

The outbreaks were confirmed in Lutjegast on 26 October, Middelie on 27 October and Grootegast on 28 October, the agriculture ministry said. State secretary Silvio Erkens said the risk of further infections was serious and acknowledged that the restrictions would particularly affect keepers whose poultry normally go outdoors, as well as hobby keepers.

Commercially kept birds must be housed indoors. Commercial pheasants and ratites are exempt from that requirement because keeping them indoors is not considered practical, but must still be shielded. For hobby keepers, the order requires shielding risk birds, such as chickens, rather than housing them indoors. This follows an earlier nationwide order after three outbreaks in a short period; the new announcement specifies the rules for different types of keepers. The earlier order

The government has also banned exhibitions of risk birds and tightened restrictions on visitors to bird-keeping sites. Visits are allowed only when necessary for public or animal health, animal welfare or the health of people in the poultry house; hygiene rules and visitor registration apply.

The ministry cited outbreaks in other EU countries and recent detections in wild birds as reasons for additional precautions. It said the start of bird migration could increase the risk of the virus spreading among wild birds. Erkens is due to send parliament an action plan by the end of the year on requiring vaccination for laying hens, which the ministry says it is developing with the sector.