Bird flu drama: Lower Saxony is fighting massive animal losses!

Bird flu drama: Lower Saxony is fighting massive animal losses!

In the last few weeks, bird flu has spread rapidly in Lower Saxony and the situation is getting worse. On November 1, 2025, a new outbreak was confirmed in a laying hen farm in Barnstorf, Diepholz district. Around 10,000 animals are affected here and must now be killed to protect animal welfare. There are also worrying developments in the nearby district of Vechta: a chicken farm with 130,000 laying hens and a turkey farm with over 13,000 animals are also sick. NDR reports on a total of 150,000 animals that have already been culled in Lower Saxony since the outbreak of the disease.

The Diepholz district has taken measures and imposed an extended stable requirement for all poultry farms with fewer than 50 animals. In the Emsland district, infections were also found in a turkey fattening farm with around 18,000 animals. This has led to additional safety precautions to prevent further infections. Particularly worrying is the fact that Lower Saxony has recorded the most outbreaks in Germany, with a total of 21 confirmed cases in commercial establishments since the beginning of October.

Safety measures and stable requirements

In order to further contain the spread of the virus, comprehensive safety measures have been imposed. According to the Federal Association of German Rural Youth, poultry farmers must comply with various rules to ensure animal welfare and the health of their flocks. This includes, for example, the obligation to register businesses with the responsible authority with comprehensive information such as the number of animals kept and their use. Livestock traffic is also subject to strict regulations.

The stable requirement, which has been introduced in several districts in Lower Saxony, is a central measure in the fight against the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The head of the animal health department at the Berlin Zoo, Andreas Pauly, speaks of a serious situation and emphasizes that all birds in the zoos are being housed in stables and aviaries as a precautionary measure in order to protect them. It was also found that infections can also be spread via aerosols or through people and animals, which further increases the risk. taz highlights that over 500,000 farm animals have already had to be killed to stop the spread of the virus.

The consequences for agriculture

The situation also has economic implications. An increase in the price of duck and goose meat is expected as the number of animals available is drastically reduced by the killings. Farmers are demanding higher compensation payments to make up for the financial losses. These developments are not only tragic for the livestock farmers affected, they also pose significant challenges for the entire poultry farming industry.

Bird flu poses a major threat to both animal health and agricultural production. Particular caution and comprehensive preventive measures are therefore essential to contain the spread of the virus. The next few weeks will be crucial to stabilize the situation and prevent a further increase in infections. The exchange of information and cooperation between animal owners and authorities is needed now more than ever.