The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature decided 20 November to impose a nationwide caging and fencing obligation. The decision was taken following a new risk assessment by the Animal Disease Expert Group, which assessed the risk of bird flu outbreaks to be moderate to high.
LVVN Minister Wiersma: "The imposition of a nationwide coop and confinement obligation is a hefty measure that must be taken in a well-considered manner. Also because of the effect on poultry animal welfare. Because the animal disease expert group has estimated the risk of bird flu outbreaks to be moderate to high, I have decided to take this measure. I realise that outdoor poultry keepers and hobby farmers will be hardest hit by this, but we must do as much as we can to prevent more outbreaks. The safety of our animals is paramount."
On 18 November bird flu was detected in Putten, Gelderland. On 20 November, 1 more infection was detected close to the border with the Netherlands, in Kleve, Germany. Based on these 2 infections and all available information on outbreaks in other member states of the European Union, the probability of infection of a poultry farm throughout the Netherlands has been estimated as moderate to high (on 29 October it was low to moderate).
The caging obligation applies to all commercially kept birds and the fencing obligation to non-commercially kept risk birds (e.g. hobby chickens). Pheasants and ratites (such as ostriches, nandos, emus and kiwis) are also high-risk birds, but as an exception, these birds are only subject to compulsory fencing.
With the fencing and caging requirement, the government aims to prevent new infections by reducing the chance of contact between wild infected birds and kept birds.
