Bird rules are complete madness, says Shropshire poultry expert
A Shropshire poultry expert has hit out at the "complete madness" of the different rules for tackling avian flu in England and Wales.
One area deemed 'high risk' in Shropshire, where farmers and breeders have to keep their birds indoors is split by a section of Welsh land subject to completely different regulations.
Andy Cawthray says this means birds on one side of the River Severn will be cooped up, while those on the other can be turned out.
"Yet it is the river itself that has the highest risk of attracting wild birds with the disease," he said.
From February 28 birds across the whole of Wales will be again be allowed outside, provided the farmers and owners have bio-security in place to ensure wild birds are not attracted to their sites.
But in England the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has divided the country into low and high risk areas, with those in the latter still required to keep their birds under cover.
Mr Cawthray, a poultry breeder, lecturer, and writer says the situation has given rise to a ridiculous postcode lottery.
"The situation in Shropshire is complete madness," he said. "We have the Severn Vyrnwy confluence, the meeting of two rivers. Water courses are know to be high risk areas as water fowl from Europe will gravitate to lakes and rivers.
"Yet because the confluence is also the border of England and Wales birds in Melverley will be kept in while those in Crew Green can free range again after February 28. It's a postcode lottery."
The well-known breeder from Whittington, a low risk area, has himself run down his flocks to the bare minimum, and as yet has not begun any breeding for the coming season.
"My incubators are sitting gathering dust," he said.
"I did not want to produce chicks that would have to live indoors all the time, with the welfare issues that would bring. And even with the regulations ending for me at the end of the month, I don't know if bird shows and auctions will be allowed. Also, I am not sure that I want to produce birds that, come November and December next year when migration begins again, will face another lock-down." he said.
Geese and poultry producer, William Brisbourne's farm at Nesscliffe is within the high risk area. But he said he does not keep birds at his farm at this time of year.
He said: "I will be attending a Geese Producers' meeting in the spring when we will be debating what might happen later in the year when goose rearing begins again."
