Housing free-range birds can work
UK - So far, housing restrictions for free-range birds have been limited to 45 units in Scotland's wild bird risk area.But what are the challenges of housing free-range birds?
A producer well-placed to answer that is David Brass of Penrith-based Lakes Free Range Eggs. He knows only too well after being caught up in the 2001 foot-and-mouth crisis on the family's beef and sheep farm.
"We were already selling eggs to supermarkets and foodservice customers from our own 27,000-bird flock at the time when foot-and-mouth came.
The whole lot faced shutdown," he said. A neighbouring farm had a suspected case and a Form D restriction was placed on all units within a 3km (1.9-mile) radius.
"It was a nightmare - nothing allowed in or out, no staff movements - everything just came to a halt overnight."
Source: FWi
21 April 2006
1 minute read
