Bird flu is spreading: strict stable requirements throughout northern Germany!

Bird flu is spreading: strict stable requirements throughout northern Germany!

The health issue bird flu is currently dominating the headlines in Germany. In several districts of Schleswig-Holstein, including North Frisia and Pinneberg, compulsory housing for poultry has already been ordered in order to prevent the spread of this highly contagious avian influenza. From November, this regulation will also be extended to the Steinburg and Segeberg districts, where the stable requirement will last at least until the end of the year in Steinburg, while Segeberg does not specify an end date. In the Stormarn district, the stable requirement now applies to all poultry farms with more than 50 animals. This was reported by the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

The stable requirement forces poultry farmers to house their animals in closed stables or under special devices to keep wild birds away. Pigeons are excluded. Animal owners are asked to monitor their animals closely and to inform the veterinary office immediately if they show any signs of illness. The measures are particularly drastic in the Segeberg district, where all events involving poultry, such as markets, have been banned.

Spread of bird flu

Bird flu continues to spread in Germany. Several federal states, including Hamburg, Brandenburg and Saarland, have enacted a stable requirement. Saarland was the first federal state to take this measure. In Hamburg, the stable requirement has been in effect since Friday, accompanied by three confirmed and 14 suspected cases of wild birds. Around 155,000 animals have already been killed in Brandenburg, reminiscent of the outbreaks in 2016 and 2017. A total of 35 outbreaks have been registered in commercial poultry farms nationwide since the beginning of September, and new cases are reported every day, as the Tagesschau reports.

Bird flu is a dynamic and dangerous infection process. Over 500,000 animals have already been killed nationwide as a precaution to contain the spread of the virus. Numerous carcasses were tested in Brandenburg, with cranes particularly affected. There was also a confirmed case of a wild bird with the dreaded H5N1 variant in Saarland. Strict hygiene measures are required: owners must clean and disinfect their hands and shoes before entering the stables and wear protective clothing.

Price development and market conditions

Despite the mass killings, the poultry industry is optimistic and does not expect drastic price fluctuations for poultry products. The association president Goldnick spoke in the “Morgenmagazin” and explained that the majority of the geese consumed in Germany are imported. Only around 20 percent comes from domestic production. The industry is looking forward to the developments of the current “plague train” and assumes that the price level will remain stable as long as the situation does not escalate further. The MDR emphasizes that the slaughter season for geese traditionally begins before St. Martin's Day on November 11th.

Given the dynamic situation in the poultry farming industry and the large number of measures taken, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop and what further steps are necessary to contain the spread of bird flu.