The bird flu virus has the largest outbreak ever in Europe. Due to an aggressive variant, the virus strikes much more violently this year. Poultry has been caged for months. But there is no solution to the recurring problem.
Extra strict measures also apply on the farm of poultry farmer Erik Jochems. Since the latest outbreak of bird flu in the Netherlands in October 2021, he has been extra vigilant. “I keep track of it all. When there is a news item I read it and think: oh dear, another one.”
‘Everything to keep animals healthy’
It is very annoying and difficult when such a virus is circulating, says Jochems. “Where else can we adjust to make sure we can keep looking ourselves in the mirror? That we’ve done everything we can, if it does happen.”
Jochems’ company is shielded with ribbon to prevent people from entering the yard just like that. “A truck that brings feed has to comply with all kinds of hygiene protocols. And showering has been mandatory for us for about 10 years. We do everything we can to keep our animals healthy.”
–
Shower ten times a day
One of the few people who are still allowed to enter the site since the confinement obligation is poultry vet Maarten van den Berg. “We are concerned and vigilant. Every week that things remain quiet with my customers, I am relieved.”
At the gate Van den Berg changes his shoes and before he goes to the animals he showers and puts on special clothing. “When I arrive I shower ‘in’ and when I leave I shower ‘out’, so that I don’t take anything with me to another company. I sometimes shower ten times a day in a round past all my customers. I come anyway good clean home, no complaints on that front.”
Big impact
Kees de Jong sees this vigilance at all 2,200 poultry farms in the Netherlands. He is chairman of the poultry department of LTO. “Bird flu can just hit your farm without you knowing how,” he says.
“Poultry farmers have been in quarantine since October. That has a major impact. You no longer have contact with colleagues, open days are canceled and people who normally visit your company are no longer welcome. And the people who are allowed to come to the company , must comply with strict hygiene measures.”
also look at
Vaccine
De Jong notes that the bird flu virus has become more aggressive. “For years we have not had broilers that could get bird flu and now we do. With corona we experience that one variant is more contagious than the other, it may be the same with the bird flu virus.”
That is why De Jong advocates vaccination. “So that we can really tackle the bird flu and no longer have to cull preventively. Because as a poultry farmer you don’t want that. You want to take care of your animals, not cull.” But according to current policy, vaccination is not allowed. “There are countries that do not want to buy animal products after vaccination. It is important to remove those concerns.”
Clearances since the end of October 2021
- On October 26, the first poultry farm in the Netherlands was hit, in Zeewolde. 36,000 laying hens were culled. In Barneveld and Otterlo, 13,600 chickens were culled as a preventive measure.
- A major outbreak in Grootschermer followed on October 31, followed by smaller and larger outbreaks in November. Animals were culled throughout the Netherlands, namely in: Assendelft (190), Parrega (200), Zeewolde (31,000), Lutjegast (48,000), Tzum (122,500) and Vinkeveen (10,000).
- After that it was quiet for a while, but on December 17 a poultry farm in Den Ham was hit, 3 days later a company in Ysselsteyn and this week bird flu was also discovered in Blija and Bentelo. 222,000 broilers have now been culled in Blija and 180,000 in Bentelo.
Since October 26, there has been an obligation to stay in the Netherlands. All poultry must be kept indoors to avoid contamination.
–
–
‘Threat remains’
Poultry farmer Jochems would also like to have his animals vaccinated. “I am open to that, as long as it is good for people and animals. We must be able to continue to sell our products and animals must be able to remain healthy. That must be arranged at European level.”
Poultry vet Van den Berg does not think we can do it with just a vaccine. “Hygiene also remains very important. We know that the virus is in the environment, with the wild birds. This will not change in the coming years. Perhaps not as severe as this year, but the threat remains.”
‘Good interim solution’
Vaccination is a good interim solution, says virologist Thijs Kuiken of Erasmus MC. “Concerns about the safety of products from vaccinated poultry are unfounded. We are already vaccinating chickens against other viral diseases. That is not a public health problem at all.”
–
zoonosis
But in the long term, more needs to be done, says Kuiken. “The livestock must be smaller. Bird flu, like Q fever and corona, is a zoonosis, an infectious disease that can pass from animals to humans and strike in areas where they live close together.”
An important cause of the rise of zoonoses is the increased trade in wild animals and the increase in livestock farming, explains Kuiken. “Forests in South America are being cut down on a large scale to grow feed for our livestock. The animals from the forest then lose their habitat and migrate to the habitat of people. This increases the risk of zoonoses. The danger to our society is that we always try to solve all the problems separately, while they are connected.”
also look at
With less yet more
Kuiken sees an important role for the Netherlands in reforming the poultry sector in Europe. “Poultry density here is the highest in Europe, six times higher than the European average.”
“We have a lot of knowledge, so let’s use it to solve the current problems in a wise way. There would have to be a different revenue model for the poultry farmers, so that they can still earn a good living with less poultry.”
tv-reportage."/>
tv-reportage."/>
