Poultry keepers in Aberdeenshire are being asked to step up their efforts in the fight against bird flu after cases in the area increase.
The reminder comes after a series of outbreaks in the north-east has prompted the UK to raise its risk level to high.
While the main source of infection of bird flu comes from migratory wild birds, those failing to implement appropriate measures are putting their own flocks at risk.
Since the start of November last year, the disease has been identified in 247 wild birds across Scotland, with 30 of those being found in Aberdeenshire in the last month.
‘Keep your birds safe’
Deputy chief veterinary officer, Jesus Gallego, said that despite the Scottish Government introducing mandatory housing measures, bird flu is still very present in Scotland.
He said: “The avian flu outbreak has not gone away and implementing robust biosecurity remains absolutely critical.
“You must continue to regularly cleanse and disinfect your footwear and clothes before entering enclosures, stop your birds mixing with any wild birds and only allow visitors that are strictly necessary. It is your actions that will help keep your birds safe.
“We are still seeing bird flu both in domestic poultry and other captive birds, and in wild birds across Scotland.
“Many poultry keepers have excellent biosecurity standards, but the number of cases we are seeing suggests that not enough is being done by some bird keepers to keep bird flu out.
Whether you keep just a few birds or thousands, you must take action now to protect your birds from this highly infectious disease.”
While the avian influenza is a very low risk to the general public’s health, it is bad news for any birds that catch it.
For this reason the Scottish Government introduced mandatory housing measures in November last year to minimise the disease spreading.
Bird flu in Aberdeenshire explained
What you need to know about Aberdeenshire bird flu outbreaks
