Authorities in Northern Ireland (NI) have sought to highlight the potential chaos that avian influenza, or bird flu, could wreak on the entire poultry sector.

Specifically, the NI's agriculture and environment minister, Edwin Poots, is imploring all poultry producers and bird keepers to maintain the highest biosecurity standards within their flocks at all times.

“This is an extremely virulent form of the disease. It can cause general levels of sickness in flocks within a very short period of time. But very soon, thereafter, deaths will start to mount up at an alarming rate," Minister Poots told Agriland.

“We are dealing with, possibly, the most serious form of avian flu yet to be encountered here. It is already ravaging flocks in many parts of GB. Five outbreaks have been encountered in the RoI, up to this point, all in border counties. 

According to the minister, the latest outbreaks can be attributed to the arrival of migratory birds. This means that the threat of the disease will remain high throughout the coming winter months.

“Any direct connection between the inside of a poultry unit and the outside of these buildings can represent a source of infection.

“Rainwater, if allowed to get into a poultry unit, is a case in point. Rodents also represent a particularly potent source infection.

The minister confirmed that such is the virulence of the latest variant that it has been classified as a notifiable disease.

He further explained:

“As a result, government will compensate flock owners for costs associated with ensuring the infected premises can be safely restocked.

All the latest news regarding the current Avian Influenza outbreak can be found on the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs' website.

A self-assessment biosecurity tool, which all poultry producers are being encouraged to use can also be accessed here on the DAERA website.