4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Saronne]

What's this rumour I've heard on the Now Show (Radio 4) whereby Gordon Brown is trying to pass legislation to get ALL poultry keepers to take out insurance against a possible outbreak of avian flu? I know it's a comedy show, but it's supposed to be poking fun at what's really been happening in the news...

 

Saronne

[Redwing]

I heard that too but heard that it extends to all livestock to cover not only AI but outbreaks of other things like foot & mouth etc....

 

Whether they will go ahead with it is another matter!

 

If you think of the potential backlash from those with lots of animals along with the number of animals in the country I reckon if they press ahead it could only be pence per animal/bird

 

I also can't see them compiling and keeping up a list of backyard chicken keepers! and would think the only sensible way to bring this in would be to tax at the point of sale

Edited July 4, 2009 by Guest

[Guest]

yes horses are being looked at again(after all of use having to get passports etc um )

 

indie

[Olly]

I've searched for an old thread on this, I can't find it but I know it was raised a while ago. I think the conclusion was that it wouldn't apply to small backyard flocks, so don't panic yet!

[Lesley]

I was reading the 'all livestock' version on the River Cottage forum a while ago - haven't been in there for a while though.

[ubereglu]

I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't go through as this was similar to when they were trying to get poultry registered, because they didn't realise just how many small keepers there are.

[Lewis]

I aggree, it would be hard to impose, maybe they'll add it onto the feed or something

 

Surely if they did this to poultry, they'd have to do it to all animals, dogs can catch rabies so they'd have to have a tax, etc etc

[Geoid]

Dogs can catch rabies so they'd have to have a tax, etc etc

Rabies is transmitted differently, and since dogs don't go over vast areas of land/sea (like wild birds) it is extremely unlikely they will get rabies.

[Egluntyne]

There was a thread on poultry taxation earlier in the year.

 

**Click**

[Saronne]

Thanks for the link, Egluntine.

 

A whole 8p a bird Noooooooooooooo!

 

 

Seriously, though, everyone knows small scale breeders who sell birds 'cash in hand'. How will they enforce it? What about those of us who incubate eggs or sell birds at auction, etc? It will be impossible to monitor - yet I can understand some of the rationale behind it - in theory, any of our birds could catch it and defra would need to be able to pin point the source of the outbreak..

 

Saronne

[Egluntyne]

Unenforcible isn't it?

 

[Lesley]

Bird flu outbreaks here have been inside large commercial premises not in free range flocks - perhpas they should concentrate their efforts into finding out why that was?

[Saronne]

Infected, imported birds combined with impossibly crowded conditions brewed those outbreaks, didn't they? Nonetheless, my understanding was that wild birds could spread the infection - which is why free range birds are thought to be at risk, too.

 

Saronne x

[Patricia W]

I think when we looked at this before, there was a limit below which it wouldn't apply. Let's hope common sense applies.

[Valkyrie]

They can deduct it from the charge I will levy for my car being used by the councils as a road roller when they chuck loose chippings on the road and wait for the cars to tamp it down - I think chippings apply to what damage is done to the cars!

[Saronne]

I totally agree

 

Saronne x