Avian influenza is spreading: mandatory stables in the Meißen district!

Avian influenza is spreading: mandatory stables in the Meißen district!

In the Meißen district, the obligation to keep poultry in stables has been in force since Monday to prevent the spread of avian influenza (H5N1). The outbreak was detected in Ebersbach and officially confirmed by the Friedrich Löffler Institute. According to MDR, the stable requirement applies to all poultry flocks with a number of 50 or more animals, although the veterinary office strongly advises that smaller flocks should also be kept in the stable. The aim of this measure is to protect the animals from the highly contagious virus, which is now affecting many parts of Germany and is particularly rampant in Thuringia, Lower Saxony and Brandenburg.

In order to create clear conditions, the Meißen district office has set up a protection zone within a three-kilometer radius of the outbreak. Any sales events involving live poultry are prohibited in this zone. In addition, a surveillance zone with a radius of ten kilometers was defined, which includes, among others, the towns of Radeburg, Großenhain, Weinböhla and Moritzburg. The Grossenhainer care system, which has a significant agricultural impact, is also affected by this regulation, as Sächsische reports.

Special requirements and measures

Poultry farmers are now obliged to provide the veterinary office with all relevant information about their flocks. The movement of poultry, poultry meat or eggs out of the protection and surveillance zone is strictly prohibited to stop the spread of the virus. Violation of the stable requirement can be punished with severe fines of up to 30,000 euros. In addition, various hygiene measures must be implemented in animal husbandry to minimize the risk of infection.

Avian influenza manifests itself through symptoms such as apathy, refusal to eat, high fever and breathing problems. If these symptoms occur, affected owners should inform the veterinary office immediately to prevent further spread. As RND states, the virus can be transmitted via direct and indirect contact with infected wild birds, which underlines the need for mandatory stables.

Fears and hopes of poultry farmers

There are great concerns about possible fears for poultry farmers' existence. Großenhainer Geflugelhof GmbH in particular has taken extensive precautions for thousands of animals in order to protect themselves against the outbreak of the disease. In this context, Saxony's association head Christian Riedel expressed concern about the situation of farmers and hopes that other companies, such as the Kaltenbach farm and the Eskildsen goose farm, will be spared from the virus.

Avian influenza will spread early and intensively in autumn 2025. Between the beginning of September and mid-October, several outbreaks of the H5N1 virus were registered in Germany, in which over 500,000 domestic and wild birds were killed in order to stop it from spreading further. The current situation therefore underlines the urgency of taking appropriate measures to combat this animal disease.