BFREPA has taken the step to help producers prepare for the enormous burden of secondary cleansing and disinfection – a legal requirement in the event of an outbreak.

Chief Executive Robert Gooch said: “One of the things that’s been evident from previous AI outbreaks has been the horrific and frightening cost of secondary cleansing and disinfection.

“For a producer to have an outbreak is bad enough, but they then have to deal with all the agencies and contractors that have to check that the whole site is cleaned from top to bottom.

“The requirements are extremely onerous, so we are trying to help producers be more aware of what is required because some of those costs can be reduced by forward planning.”

The workbook has been written by Livetec Systems – one of a handful of specialist contractors that a government agency would require to attend to clean up after an outbreak.

Producers are encouraged to fill out the workbook so it suits the individual circumstances of their unit. It advises them on issues like handling washdown water, storage of manure and who to contact if they, or a neighbouring farm, experiences an outbreak.

Estimates are that clean-up costs run to as much as £10 per bird for egg producers whose layer units are hit by AI.

Last year BFREPA secured a free insurance deal for its members which provides one million pounds of secondary cleansing and disinfection cover in an agreement with insurance broker Scrutton Bland.