The Government’s planned response to AI is detailed in the “Notifiable Avian Disease Control Strategy for Great Britain”. There are several pieces of domestic legislation that work in combination to enforce EU and international requirements. More detailed information can be found in this document, which is updated annually and will list the latest legislation and guidance, see the link below to find and download the latest version.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notifiable-avian-disease-control-strategy-2015
This not only sets out the rules that APHA will follow to control the outbreak but also outlines the basic steps you have to carry out for final cleansing and disinfection. It is important that you remain compliant with legislative requirements throughout the disease control operation to avoid any enforcement action.
Once all poultry on site have been culled and transported from the site APHA will carry out preliminary cleansing and disinfection. Any external areas contaminated during depopulation will be cleansed of organic matter. The sheds will then be closed and an approved disinfectant, will be sprayed inside the sheds and over external areas that may have been contaminated. The whole site will then be closed for 24 hours with no-one allowed to enter it. [During this time APHA may start demobilising any plant and equipment from the site such as telehandlers and temporary welfare units and offices.]
It is usually only after the farm has been depopulated that a meeting between local APHA and the farm owner is held to discuss final cleaning and disinfection. This document is designed to help you prepare for that process. Attending this meeting will be representatives from the other operational partners which include the relevant environment agency, public health body and possibly local council environmental and trading standards
After Preliminary C&D has been completed APHA will serve a notice (EXD23(AI) requiring the owner/keeper of the premises to carry out cleansing and disinfection. This is an important step towards gaining country freedom from disease and must be performed before the process of lifting restrictions and restocking can begin. A second notice, called a Schedule of Works (EXD158) is then issued. This form gives specific details of exactly how the C&D processed will be applied .
It requires detailed procedures for:
• Litter/manure removal and disposal route
• Cleaning, washing and disinfection of each shed (including equipment), other buildings and external areas
• Type of cleanser and disinfectant to be used
• Wash-water handling & disposal
• A DATE FOR COMPLETION
When each of the tasks listed the Schedule of Works is completed a written record must be made of when it was done and any changes to the operating procedure. This is then used by the C&D Veterinary Officer when undertaking the final inspection.
You must be aware that APHA reserves the right to supervise all or part of the cleansing and disinfection process. All activities must be carried out in accordance with any written or verbal instructions issued by APHA or any other regulatory body. Failing to comply with this requirement may lead to enforcement action.
The APHA guidance states:
APHA may run their operations from a Local Disease Control Centre (LDCC) if they have an office locally or a Forward Operating Base (FOB) which may be an office belonging to a partner agency.. This is where (at least initially) the staff that you will be dealing with will beb based. After the immediate disease response, staff may be based at the nearest APHA office.
• Technical Veterinary lead - the overall co-ordinator of local operations, based at LDCC or FOB.
• Case Officer - The lead member of APHA staff on site co-ordinating all operations on the farm during veterinary investigations and depopulation, could change every 4 or 5 days.
• C&D Technical Officer – This is the daily contact for C&D operations. They will take applications for licenses to bring people or equipment on and off site. Usually a single person assigned for the period, but weekend cover may be different. If you expect to need something on the weekend make sure APHA know in advance.
• C&D Veterinary Officer – every form must be signed by a vet even if it is completed, agreed and reviewed with the C&D Technical Officer. Again make sure you have contacts for the duty vet at weekends to sign off on deliveries, changes in procedure, or other verification.
• The relevant environmental agency [Environment Agency (England) / Cyforth Naturiol (Cymru) / – Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Scotland)] – will provide a local representative to be present at opening C&D meeting. Make sure you get a named contact with phone and email. They will most likely have to be consulted for approval of sites for storage of litter and disposal of washwater. They can also advise on disposal sites for residual waste, hazard classification of waste, and provide information on local drainage, water catchment areas and boreholes etc, this can be collected in advance.
• Public Health [England/Wales/Scotland] – depending on pathogenicity of AI there may be a need to issue preventative antiviral tablets, try to establish a clear contact early on, advice can be difficult to get, and slow in coming. It will be your responsibility (or your contractor) to obtain prescriptions for antivirals (unless local NHS have issued instructions for specific pharmacies to issue without prescription. These instructions may not filter down very quickly, especially if you are waiting to get workers on site.
• Local Authority – The local authority will have a role in advising on operations and may send an officer out to the farm if required, they will often be represented by the Trading Standards Department or equivalent in Wales and Scotland, unless the issue is directly related to another department eg planning or transport.
See Appendix 3 in the workbook to record names and contact details
All people working inside the bio-security perimeter will need to change overalls, masks, gloves and boots several times a day and preferably take a shower and/or change all their clothes before leaving site after work. It is important to provide facilities to make this easy for the staff and visitors so that there is no temptation to cut corners.
Good practice would be to for workers to have a full set of site only clothing which is left behind at the end of the day.
Full secondary cleansing and disinfection are not only a requirement for farmers who wish to re-stock with birds, but it also triggers the clock on allowing the country to resume international trade in poultry and poultry products.
There are three options available to a farmer:
There are crucial implications for each of the options.
Successful completion of Option 1 will allow you to go straight on to the process of restocking.
Option 2 will prevent you from restocking with poultry or any other susceptible species (for example pigs) for 12 months.
Option 3 will prevent you restocking with livestock for 12 months
There are further choices to make if you go for option 2 or 3. If you chose option two then later you may decide to complete a second clean on your site to bring it up to the full secondary C&D standard, this would then allow you to progress to the re-stocking procedure. If you chose option 3 then you will have a 14-day cooling off period after which you will not be able to change your mind. Your site will be under full restrictions for 12 months with no poultry or other susceptible species and stringent rules and inspections on access and vermin control throughout the 12 months.
It is usually only after the farm has been depopulated that a meeting between localAPHA and the farm owner is held to discuss final cleaning and disinfection. This document is designed to help you prepare for that process. Attending this meeting will be representatives from the other operational partners which include the relevant environment agency, public
ONE
Cleanse and disinfect the farm to the standard based on the EU Directive
Successful completion of Option 1 will allow you to go straight on to the process of restocking, 21 days after completion.
TWO
Cleanse and disinfect to the standard based on OIE rules
Option 2 will prevent you from restocking with poultry or any other susceptible species (for example pigs) for 12 months.
THREE
Do not undertake cleaning and disinfection then keep the farm closed and under restrictions for 12 months
Option 3 will prevent you restocking with livestock for 12 months.
There are further choices to make if you go for option 2 or 3. If you chose option two then later you may decide to complete a second clean on your site to bring it up to the full secondary C&D standard, this would then allow you to progress to the re-stocking procedure. If you chose option 3 then you will have a 14-day cooling off period after which you will not be able to change your mind. Your site will be under full restrictions for 12 months with no poultry or other susceptible species and stringent rules and inspections on access and vermin control throughout the 12 months.
It is usually only after the farm has been depopulated that a meeting between local APHA and the farm owner is held to discuss final cleaning and disinfection. This document is designed to help you prepare for that process. Attending this meeting will be representatives from the other operational partners which include the relevant environment agency, public health body and possibly local council environmental and trading standards. Following this meeting, if you have not already done it, you will be required to complete a second form, known as the Schedule of Works (EXD158). This form requires specific details of exactly how the C&D processed will be applied5. When planning the C&D operation, remember that every person and piece of equipment that comes onto the farm must be licensed on and off. This licence must be signed by a veterinary officer. Equally everything that is taken off the site -eg equipment, rubbish, vehicles must be receive a certificate of cleaning and disinfection before it can leave.
All these certificates and licences take time to be produced and you should allow for this in your C&D plan.
The form requires detailed procedures for:
Litter/manure removal and disposal route
Cleaning, washing and disinfection of each shed (including equipment), other buildings and external areas
Type of cleanser and disinfectant to be used
Wash-water handling and disposal
A DATE FOR COMPLETION
When each of the tasks listed in the Schedule of Works is completed a written record must be made of when it was done and any changes to the operating procedure. This is then used by the C&D Veterinary Officer when undertaking the final inspection.
You must be aware that APHA reserves the right to supervise all or part of the cleansing and disinfection process. All activities must be carried out in accordance with any written or verbal instructions issued by APHA or any other regulatory body. Failing to comply with this requirement may lead to enforcement action.
Flat Deck
As with normal turn around you will have to dismantle slats and nest boxes in order to remove the litter.
Multi-Tier
You may have more than the normal amount of litter in the system due to restrictions on the removal of litter from site.
Muck Store
The muck store could be used as a place to treat the litter, but it requires approval by the Veterinary Inspector. If the litter can a sprayed, covered and stored for 42 days it could then be removed as normal litter but would still need a licence to be removed from site. Once the litter has been removed the whole muck store will require thorough cleansing and disinfection to the same standard as the poultry buildings.
Litter Transport
Litter can only be removed from farm in sealed vehicles or trailers under a licence from APHA. If the transport is on the Public Highway it MUST also comply with ADR Waste Transport regulations. Some derogation from ADR regulations MAY be available based on a risk assessment and application to the relevant authority by APHA which then may permit the use of sealed farm trailers to move litter to a field store or neighbouring farm. In any case an APHA officer must oversee loading on farm AND unloading at the storage site to ensure biosecurity controls are maintained.
The storage place will be placed under disease restrictions by APHA. Plan your litter transport with APHA to ensure there are sufficient APHA staff available at the times (and days) you want to move it.
Stack to heat for 42 days
MUST be covered to protect from birds and vermin
MUST control leachate
Field sites do not necessarily have to be on concrete (it would be best) BUT you must be able to control run off to prevent environmental pollution
Put a protocol in place or contract a firm to control vermin.
At the end of the 42 days the litter can be moved, handled and spread as normal poultry litter.
Incineration
Rendering
Flat Deck Systems
All main components will have been dismantled to facilitate litter removal; the egg belt may need to be removed to allow access to the conveyor rollers. Scratch matts can be problematic to clean and a decision will have to be made as to whether to spend the time cleaning them or simply to throw them away and buy new ones.
All surfaces of all components need to be treated with a foam degreaser. Where particularly heavy soiling is present on complex materials, eg nest box matts, slats or conveyor segments, tanks would be useful to pre-soak components in a solution of degreaser.
All components should be washed using a cold water pressure washer until all visible contamination is removed.
All components should then be rinsed using a cold water pressure washer.
Multi-Tier Systems
Manure belts and egg belts should be cleaned on the outside then may have to removed to facilitate cleaning on the inside and provide access to the rollers and support mechanism.
All surfaces of all components need to be treated with a foam degreaser. Where particularly heavy soil is present on complex materials, eg Astro turf nest box matts, slats or conveyor segments, tanks would be useful to pre-soak components in a solution of degreaser.
All surfaces will need to be sprayed with a foam degreaser or equivalent detergent and left to soak for the appropriate period as specified in the manufacturer’s instructions, washed using a cold water pressure washer until all visible contamination is removed, and rinsed with cold water.
Feed Bins
Internal feed bins/hoppers should have been emptied.
All internal surfaces should have been blown and external surfaces will be treated with a foam degreaser as per the manufacturers recommended application rate and contact time.
Smaller components can be collected into tubs, soaked in degreaser solution and cleaned by hand with brushes.
All components will be washed either by cold water pressure washer or in running water to remove all visible contamination, and placed in clean tubs.
All components will be rinsed with cold water; smaller elements will be collected in clean dry plastic containers.
Tube auger and pan system
External surfaces should be treated with a foam degreaser as per the manufacturers recommended application rate and contact time.
All components will be washed either by cold water pressure washer or in running water to remove all visible contamination.
At this stage any sub-assemblies with small parts will be dismantled, soaked with degreaser solution in tubs, then washed in cold running water and placed in clean containers to prevent loss.
All components will be rinsed with cold water; smaller elements will be collected in clean dry plastic containers.
Flat chain feeding system
Troughs, chain belt, hoppers, coupler and legs and motors will have been be disassembled prior to litter removal.
All elements need to be treated with a foam degreaser; chain belts and other smaller components will could be placed in tanks with a solution of degreaser.
All components should then be washed by cold water pressure washer to remove all visible contamination.
All components will be rinsed with cold water; smaller elements will be collected in clean dry plastic containers.
Drinker Lines
All exposed surfaces will be sprayed with a foam degreaser and left to soak for the appropriate period as specified in the manufacturer’s instructions. Pipes should be flushed though with appropriate cleanser.
External surfaces washed using a cold water pressure washer until all visible contamination is removed.
Rinsed with cold water.
Ventilation Fans
Ventilation fan assemblies should be disconnected and covers removed from their mountings.
External surfaces treated with a foam degreaser as per the manufacturers recommended application rate and contact time.
All components should be washed with cold water to remove all visible contamination.
All components should be rinsed with cold water.
Once the cleansing procedures described have been completed on all surfaces, equipment and parts in one shed, the disinfection treatment can begin.
All areas and equipment should be allowed to dry before application of disinfectant to prevent dilution.
All surfaces and larger components should be sprayed with a disinfectant at a concentration and application rate approved by DEFRA Diseases of Poultry Order and the Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals Order.
All components and small items and fixings that have been disassembled and stored in clean containers, can be soaked with a disinfectant solution to ensure complete coverage. Solution to be prepared at the same concentration.
The building must then be sealed to prevent access for 7 days.
The above procedure should then be repeated for each shed following cleansing.
Recording your costs at turn around
Knowing your normal chemical and equipment usage at turnaround will help you predict the quantities required following an AI outbreak.
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