Cracking Down on Layer Flock Salmonella

Cardiff will use as its baseline a figure of eight per cent incidence in poultry flocks – this was the proportion of positive cases found in a UK-wide survey of laying flocks in 2004-05.

The regulations will increase the amount of testing of pullets and layers, while from next January eggs from salmonella-infected flocks must be heat-treated before going on sale.

Rural affairs minister Elin Jones accepted the industry had made “excellent progress” in lowering salmonella cases.

Ms Jones said, "The proposed regulations will provide a framework for the National Control Programme (NCP) that details the phases of production which sampling and testing for the Salmonellas must cover.

"The programme will set a target for an annual reduction of at least 10% in the number of positive adult laying flocks, compared with the previous year. The starting baseline in Wales and for the rest of the UK, will be 8% prevalence of Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium serotypes.

"The results of nationwide survey of commercial laying flocks carried out in 2004 –2005 showed that around 8% of layer flock holdings in the United Kingdom (UK) were infected with Salmonella enteritidis or Salmonella typhimurium. This demonstrates excellent progress of industry led initiatives to reduce Salmonella prevalence in laying flocks.  However, work still needs to be done to reduce this level further and minimise the possible impact of the heat treatment requirement on producers. The NCP will enable the laying flocks sector to build on its success in the protection of human health and benefit from producers across the EU applying approaches that are consistent and comparable."

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