Germany likely to order all poultry indoors

Agricultural minister Horst Seehofer today said that Germany will likely require all poultry be kept indoors to prevent bird flu in the country.

Seehofer was to meet later in the day with his counterparts on a state level to discuss measures that could be taken to prevent bird flu from reaching Germany.

A decision on the measure was to be taken by the end of the month, Seehofer said.

Already, several of Germany’s 16 states have increased control of travellers entering the country from Turkey, where several cases of the deadly H5N1 strain have been confirmed.

Last year bird owners were required to keep their animals indoors for several months in a similar precaution during the migratory season of wild birds amid fears they could infect domestic fowl in the country.