Avian Influenza

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Being a poultry farm manager, I understand the risks of avian, influenza more than most, a piece of shite the size of a nail head, screw head, on your boots or vehicle wheels is enough to transport avian influenza from one venue to another!

you guys going to, and from game shoots/waterfowling marshes could possibly spread avian influenza from one venue to another, so as little, as it may seem the risk of you spreading the disease, I personally would advise taking the following steps, this is by no means official in any way, shape or form, but understanding avian influenza like I do as a part of my job I would take the following steps-

1- get a garden sprayer and fill it full of a heavy duty disinfectant

2- when you arrive/leave a shoot/Marsh spray your wheels, and when you change into your boots, also spray your boots.

3- take water / dog friendly antibacterial soap and a bowl and wash your dogs feet and give him a rough wash down before you leave the shoot/Marsh that way they are clean or as clean as you can be.

At least you have then done your bit to try and stem the possible spread of AI.

I personally would not rely on the shoot to supply this, some of the big commercial shoots may do this, they would be bloody stupid if they didn’t!

Also spread the word you never going to stop the spread, there are birds coming in and out of the country migration is now on or taking place, but at least if you take those steps you are doing your bit to try and save your sport, because it is spreading like wildfire, without a doubt!

 

[Smellydog]

With the greatest of respect.
How is this going to help?
Thousands of birds fly over our local egg units every day..
Seagulls dropping in.
Hundreds of crows drop in all the time.
Vehicles visit the site, how can you disinfect a vehicle?
Then there is the weather, wind especially.

Last year I was shooting sick crows. Even saw them fall out of the sky dying on the wing.

The real problem is globalization and intensive farming and we may as well include intensive shooting!

 

[timbrayford]

With the greatest of respect.
How is this going to help?
Thousands of birds fly over our local egg units every day..
Seagulls dropping in.
Hundreds of crows drop in all the time.
Vehicles visit the site, how can you disinfect a vehicle?
Then there is the weather, wind especially.

Last year I was shooting sick crows. Even saw them fall out of the sky dying on the wing.

The real problem is globalization and intensive farming and we may as well include intensive shooting!

I agree. I understand the OPs concerns and the on farm stuff makes perfect sense for his work place. However the wider picture is that bird flu cannot be contained due to the lack of any practical control of wild bird movements, which sort of makes all this restriction zone stuff a bit pointless.

 

[countrryboy]

I agree. I understand the OPs concerns and the on farm stuff makes perfect sense for his work place. However the wider picture is that bird flu cannot be contained due to the lack of any practical control of wild bird movements, which sort of makes all this restriction zone stuff a bit pointless.

Althou to be fair it doesnae need to be needlessly spread either.

If ur local than it is probably a waste of time as has been said birds, wind etc are more likely to carry it.

But if ur travelling long distances to shoot a certain marsh or game shoot u really should be taking basic biosecurity measures.
Esp if ur coming from a more inland area that generally doesnae have a lot of migratory birds ( which do tend to be more coastal throu the winter) then u could be carry it bck to a place that would otherwise likely remain free of it.

 

[User00036]

I do wonder about two things, Bird feeders in gardens, & Flight ponds. Will not be feeding wild duck in this year, cant be a good thing having several hundred ducks landing in a small pond, feeding in the same area.

 

[User00040]

Like Covid 19, these things happen for a reason and should be allowed to run their course, come what may.

 

[shakey jake]

run its course is one thing but needlessly spreading it is another. im sure none of us would sneeze in an old ladies face, simple washing is easy and cant hurt

 

[Jon P]

I do wonder about two things, Bird feeders in gardens, & Flight ponds. Will not be feeding wild duck in this year, cant be a good thing having several hundred ducks landing in a small pond, feeding in the same area.

In relation to feeding song birds in garden, I was a teams meeting for work last week and vet from the APHA stated small song birds seem to be unaffected by AI. So they are a very low risk.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

I do wonder about two things, Bird feeders in gardens, & Flight ponds. Will not be feeding wild duck in this year, cant be a good thing having several hundred ducks landing in a small pond, feeding in the same area.

Recipe for disaster!

Game shooting in norfolk will be up the swannie this season, from what i understand shot game can now be removed from site after they have been shot!

 

[palmer_mike]

Recipe for disaster!

Game shooting in norfolk will be up the swannie this season, from what i understand shot game can now be removed from site after they have been shot!

Can or can’t be removed?

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Can or can’t be removed?

Sorry can NOT be removed, buried or incinerated from what i have heard.

Pointless shooting them in my opinion

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

This is a screen shot of the live map of current 3km and 10km zones.

East anglia is pretty much a write off!
.

 

[palmer_mike]

Sorry can NOT be removed, buried or incinerated from what i have heard.

Pointless shooting them in my opinion

I don’t shoot game birds myself but have friends who do…..

Do you have a source that I can direct my friends to backing up what you have found out?

 

[countrryboy]

Sorry can NOT be removed, buried or incinerated from what i have heard.

Pointless shooting them in my opinion

That would be a real disaster for many shoots esp this year the way prices have went ( buying in day olds/poults with fed prices and diesel on top)

If u've bit the bullet and paid these higher prices possibly trying to recoup big losses from the last 2 years due to covid could be some troubling times ahead.

Wot are u mean to do with the dead if not allowed to be buried, moved or incinerated?
Wot happes with commercial or domestic flocks that catch AI and have to be killed?
or are they moved/incinerated under a specific license?

NDS wot is the big cluster of cases slightly west of Norwich?
Is there a reseivior or big loch there? Don't know that area at all

 

[User00036]

Sorry can NOT be removed, buried or incinerated from what i have heard.

Pointless shooting them in my opinion

To clarify, can I eat a pheasant if before shot it appears healthy? N Norfolk

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

To clarify, can I eat a pheasant if before shot it appears healthy? N Norfolk

Not got a bloody clue, I’m not a vet or a health expert

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

That would be a real disaster for many shoots esp this year the way prices have went ( buying in day olds/poults with fed prices and diesel on top)

If u've bit the bullet and paid these higher prices possibly trying to recoup big losses from the last 2 years due to covid could be some troubling times ahead.

Wot are u mean to do with the dead if not allowed to be buried, moved or incinerated?
Wot happes with commercial or domestic flocks that catch AI and have to be killed?
or are they moved/incinerated under a specific license?

NDS wot is the big cluster of cases slightly west of Norwich?
Is there a reseivior or big loch there? Don't know that area at all

The big cluster from what I understand, are backyard flocks, i.e. people with a few chickens in their backyard for eggs and free range poultry farms in the cluster are a lot of gravel pits and obviously where you get gravel pits, you get migratory wildfowl that’s the crux of it as far as I know

Grew up on that area i know it like the back of my hand, my roe stalking in attlebrough area i have had for 20 year is smack bang in a 3km zone, so I won’t be going there this year.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

I don’t shoot game birds myself but have friends who do…..

Do you have a source that I can direct my friends to backing up what you have found out?

Thats a defra map!

Avian influenza (bird flu)

I get txt’s direct from defra the link above will take you to their website, as for the removal of game i am only passing on information from the keeper jungle drums, as an ex keeper i always have my ear to the ground.

This is the link to the live map

ArcGIS Web Application

defra.maps.arcgis.com

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

That would be a real disaster for many shoots esp this year the way prices have went ( buying in day olds/poults with fed prices and diesel on top)

If u've bit the bullet and paid these higher prices possibly trying to recoup big losses from the last 2 years due to covid could be some troubling times ahead.

Wot are u mean to do with the dead if not allowed to be buried, moved or incinerated?
Wot happes with commercial or domestic flocks that catch AI and have to be killed?
or are they moved/incinerated under a specific license?

NDS wot is the big cluster of cases slightly west of Norwich?
Is there a reseivior or big loch there? Don't know that area at all

To answer your question, IF i was to get AI on my farm and my birds tested positive they would all be destroyed.

 

[palmer_mike]

Sorry can NOT be removed, buried or incinerated from what i have heard.

Seen nothing to support this assertion in writing from any official source. Maybe stop repeating it until it’s confirmed as true? (I strongly doubt it is)