Poultry Hub

Scotland's Poultry Hub signposts helpful information for all keepers about keeping birds healthy.

 

Additional Guidance

• Guidance from Scottish Government if you care for any type of captive bird (commercial, hobby or pet) to reduce the risk of introducing or spreading disease.
• Key guidance from Defra:

• How to spot and prevent avian influenza (bird flu)
• Biosecurity Advice for all captive bird and poultry keepers (including game birds, waterfowl and pet birds) in collaboration with Scottish and Welsh Governments

 

Welfare Codes

• Government Welfare Codes

 

Livestock Associations & Societies

The British Poultry Council is the trade association for those producing poultry meat in the UK

• British Poultry Council

 

Professional Veterinary Associations

• The British Veterinary Poultry Association (BVPA) is an active non-territorial division of the British Veterinary Association and is open to poultry veterinarians and scientists working with poultry:

 

Record Keeping Guidance

• Defra provide guidance on Livestock ID and Traceability for poultry, covering when and how to register your flock of poultry, and which species must be registered
• Poultry Registration Scheme (Scotland) administers compulsory registration of all keepers of over 50 birds, while encouraging voluntary registration of all poultry, to allow disease tracing in case of an outbreak

 

Assurance Schemes

• The Poultry Health Scheme (PHS)
• Red Tractor Assurance
• British Egg Industry Lion Code

 

Antimicrobial Stewardship

• BVPA Antimicrobial Guidelines
• Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance provides information about antibiotics & UK farming, including news, facts, statistics, science and reports, case studies and videos:
  • Responsible use of Antimicrobials in Poultry and Game Production
  • Progress by Sector

 

Further Information

• Food Standards Scotland (FSS) produce specific guidance:
  • Flock biosecurity poster
  • Cleaner farms Better Flocks – keeping out disease and harmful bacteria booklet

• Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) produce detailed biosecurity advice and audits
• The Veterinary Epidemiology Unit of the University of Ghent in Belgium have developed Biocheck, a weighted, qualitative way to measure biosecurity, with guidance.  You may wish to explore this guidance with your vet practice