From April 1 to May 15, poultry farms will have to comply with enhanced biosecurity requirements

During this month and a half, from April 1 to May 15, the following activities will be prohibited:

1. participation of poultry and captive birds in events organized in accordance with regulatory enactments on the procedure for organizing animal competitions, markets, auctions, exhibitions and other events with the participation of animals,
2. release poultry and captive birds into natural surface water bodies and artificially created water bodies where certain requirements cannot be met,
3. to use water obtained from surface water bodies for feeding and watering,
4. release captive birds to restore hunting resources,
5. place sick and injured wild waterfowl in an animal shelter or a wild bird rehabilitation center where certain requirements cannot be met.

The owner or keeper of animals will have to comply with the following requirements:

1. employees and persons who come into contact with poultry and captive birds must be provided with work or change clothes and shoes,
2. poultry and captive birds must be kept, fed and watered in enclosed spaces or fed and watered in an area covered by a watertight roof and enclosed on the sides by means of nets, screens, fences or other suitable means that prevent access to wild waterfowl. If there are ratites in the shed (Ratites), which are separated from the rest of the poultry flock, it is permissible that there is no additional enclosure from above,
3. artificially created water bodies must be fenced off with means that prevent wild waterfowl access, and they can only be used for poultry and captive waterfowl species.

Likewise, during the period from April 1 to May 15, when placing sick or injured wild waterfowl in an animal shelter or a wild bird rehabilitation center, no less than 21 days from the moment of placing the birds, this bird must be provided with:

1. keeping in isolation from other birds in the shelter or rehabilitation center,
2. separate care and feeding, using special equipment and tools for these birds.

The Ministry of Agriculture and the associations of poultry farmers – the United Poultry Industry Association of Latvia, the Latvian Poultry Association, the Folk Poultry Association and the Latvian Organic Agriculture Association – had previously met and agreed on the need for enhanced biosecurity measures, therefore amendments were made to the regulations.