Source:Chris Scott, MEATINGPLACE, 1/16/18



Confirmation of avian influenza in birds in both the United Kingdom and Japan have prompted animal health officials in both areas to launch increased biosecurity efforts, according to reports.

The London-based Dept. for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) issued a warning to poultry farmers after the H5N6 strain of avian influenza was confirmed in 17 wild birds in South Dorset, the agency said. This is the first outbreak of bird flu in the United Kingdom this winter and the U.K. Chief Veterinary Officer Nigel Gibbons urged a review of biosecurity plans on all poultry farms, according to the U.K. government website.

Meanwhile, Japan already has culled 92,000 chickens after a high pathogenic strain of H5N6 avian influenza was confirmed at a chicken farm near the city of Sanuki in Kagawa prefecture, the first confirmed case since last March. An estimated 1.7 million chickens were culled in Japan between November of 2016 and March of 2017, according to Channel NewsAsia. Separately, South Korea also reported a new H5N6 outbreak at a commercial farm in South Jeolla province, resulting in the culling of more than 16,500 broiler ducks, according to a Poultry World report.

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