70,000 ducks to be culled after bird flu in Hierden

Bird flu has been confirmed at a duck farm in Hierden, in the municipality of Harderwijk. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature has ordered about 70,000 animals on the site to be culled to stop the virus spreading. The food safety authority NVWA is carrying out the cull. The farm was already culled twice in 2022 because of bird flu infections.

Why it matters

• A transport ban applies with immediate effect across a 10-kilometre zone around the farm.
• No birds, hatching eggs or eggs may leave sites with birds in the zone.
• Removal of bird manure and used litter is also banned.

The restriction zone has two parts: a protection zone with a 3-kilometre radius and a surveillance zone reaching out to 10 kilometres. The measures are meant to stop the virus spreading to other parts of the country.

Two other poultry farms lie within 1 kilometre of the infected site. None lie between 1 and 3 kilometres, and 11 other poultry farms are in the 10-kilometre zone.

Animals other than birds, and their products, may still be moved to and from sites with birds, provided they meet the strict conditions of the hygiene protocol.

A housing order (ophokplicht) has applied to commercially kept birds across the country since 28 October. Hobby keepers, for example of chickens, must also protect their at-risk birds.

The NVWA is also investigating whether animals or products were moved to or from the farm just before the infection was discovered. It says it will take extra measures if they are needed.