Outbreak of bird flu reported at Aberdeenshire premises resulting in deaths of over 1,000 hens

An outbreak of bird flu that resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 hens has been reported at a premises in Aberdeenshire.

On Thursday, Scotland’s chief veterinary officer stated that avian influenza had been found, or had been present in the last 56 days, at Ord of Cardno, near Fraserburgh.

Ministers have been informed of the findings, and control zones have been put in place at the premises.

It is the seventh occurrence of the virus in the Banff and Buchan area.

Local MP David Duguid held a meeting with Scotland’s chief veterinary officer last month over concerns about the high number of cases in the north east.

He said: “It’s devastating to hear of another avian flu outbreak in Aberdeenshire during such a turbulent time for the industry.

“This is now the seventh large-scale case in Banff and Buchan and highlights this deadly disease isn’t going away.

“I recently met with Scotland’s chief vet, Sheila Voas, to outline my concerns about the situation and the detrimental impact it is having on poultry farmers across my constituency.

“It’s therefore imperative the Scottish Government considers all options to safeguard our area against further outbreaks.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The latest outbreak of avian flu is the largest seen in the UK to date and we take the situation very seriously. We are working closely with partner organisations to progress measures to respond to the reports of increased mortality among wild bird populations.

“While maintaining high levels of biosecurity among domestic poultry flocks helps protect against disease, addressing the disease among wild birds poses significant challenges.

“Updated advice for local authorities, landowners, wildlife rescue centres and members of the public regarding reporting, collection and safe disposal of wild bird carcases has been published.”