Bird flu is spreading: mandatory stables in Schleswig-Holstein!

Bird flu is spreading: mandatory stables in Schleswig-Holstein!

Bird flu is currently spreading in Germany and also has Schleswig-Holstein firmly under control. In several districts, far-reaching stable requirements for poultry have already been enacted in order to counteract the further spread of the virus. As ndr.de reports, a general order has been in effect in the Pinneberg district since October 28th, followed by Dithmarschen, where stables have been mandatory in certain risk areas since October 29th. From October 30th, businesses in the Stormarn district with 50 or more animals are obliged to keep their animals in stables.

The situation remains tense. From November 1st, the districts of Herzogtum Lauenburg and Segeberg as well as the district of Steinburg will also introduce a stable requirement for businesses with 50 or more animals. For example, this also applies in North Frisia, where stables have been mandatory on the islands, Halligen and in risk areas since October 29th. Here, companies must keep at least 50 animals to be affected. In the rest of the district, this is initially only the case for enclosures with more than 500 animals.

Situation and measures in Schleswig-Holstein

The Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Association of the German Poultry Industry express concern and are calling for nationwide stable requirements. The ministry describes the situation as serious and sees mandatory stables as a possible solution to combat the spread of bird flu. In Schleswig-Holstein, three farms are now affected by avian influenza, with a total of four active cases in kept animals. The Friedrich Loeffler Institute has also recorded 72 outbreaks in wild birds.

Ove Johannsen from North Frisia says that he has been keeping his animals in the stable since mid-October and is prepared for the need for these measures. It is a time when farmers must balance their financial losses with uncertain income potential. Although compulsory stable keeping secures income, voluntary stable keeping often leads to a price disadvantage. Agriculture Minister Staudte is therefore calling for higher compensation for animal owners in order to cushion the economic consequences.

Transmission and prevention

The current wave of bird flu, also known as HPAIV (H5N1), is not only impacting poultry production but is also affecting wild birds. According to tagesschau.de, over 200,000 animals, including chickens, geese, ducks and turkeys, have already been killed due to outbreaks in Germany this fall alone. In Baden-Württemberg, around 15,000 animals from a single farm had to be killed. Thousands of cranes have also fallen victim to this virus, adding to the worrying situation.

The Federal Minister of Agriculture has therefore called for increased protective measures. The hygiene rules for poultry farmers must be observed more strictly than ever, and private individuals are encouraged to avoid contact with sick or dead wild birds and to pass this report on to the authorities. In order to contain the spread of the virus, the Federal Ministry is asking the EU to increase the upper limits for compensation payments in order to be able to better support those affected.

In view of these developments, the aim of all measures taken so far remains to prevent further outbreaks in poultry and to avert damage to agriculture. The authorities' efforts are at a high level, but the autumn bird migration shows once again how challenging the situation can be.