Voluntary Report - Public distribution

**Date:** 6/25/2007

**GAIN Report Number:** GM7025

GM7025

**Germany**

**Sanitary/Phytosanitary/Food Safety**

**AI Re-appears in Wild Birds**

**2007**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Bobby Richey Jr., Agricultural Counselor

U.S. Embassy

**Prepared by:**

Sabine M. Lieberz

**Report Highlights:**

On June 24, 2007, the German Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Consumer
Protection (BMELV) reported six new cases of HPAI (H5N1) in wild birds
in Nuremberg, a city in Bavaria, southern Germany. Three additional
cases were confirmed in Saxony on June 26. This is the first appearance
of the disease in Germany since August 2006.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Unscheduled Report

Berlin \[GM1\]

\[GM\]

**New H5N1 Cases Confirmed**

On June 24, 2007, the German reference laboratory
*Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut* (FLI) confirmed high pathogen avian
influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in a Canada goose and five mute swans (*Cygnus
olor*) that had been found dead in the Bavarian city of Nuremberg on
June 22, 2007. In addition, three more swans were confirmed positive in
Saxony on June 26. An additional four animals are currently being
tested. Protection and surveillance zones around the sites where the
birds were found were established immediately[^1]. These cases are the
first appearance of HPAI in wild birds in Germany since August 2006. In
2006, Germany witnessed confirmed cases of H5N1 in 344 wild birds, three
cats, a marten and one commercial turkey flock.

The cases in Bavaria received special media attention because they
occurred in a popular recreational area within the city limits of
Nuremberg, that is heavily frequented by families and children. As a
result, the city of Nuremberg put out a larger protection zone than
required by law.

**German Government Holds Press Conference**

In a press conference on June 27, called to discuss the new HPAI cases,
Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection, Horst
Seehofer, stressed the importance to remain vigilant concerning the
disease in order to prevent its spread to commercial flocks or human
beings. At the same time he warned the public not to become hysterical.

During the same press conference, FLI stated that they view the current
cases as consistent with their most recent risk assessment of April 26,
2007. That risk assessment concluded that the virus may still be
prevalent in the wild bird population but on a low level. Currently, FLI
sees no need to raise the risk level again and considers the high
protection measures that are in place since the outbreaks in 2006 to be
sufficient.

**Current German AI Risk Assessment**

In its most recent risk assessment of April 26, 2007, FLI concluded that
the virus may still be prevalent in the wild bird population but on a
low level. As a result, FLI had reduced the risk level attributed to
wild birds from high to moderate. In detail the FLI risk assessment
stated the following risk levels:

\- Infection through illegal imports: high

\- Infection through resident wild birds: moderate

\- Infection through migratory birds: low

\- Infection through vehicles: low

\- Infection through legal imports: negligible

**Protection Measures and Future Regulatory Changes**

The current strict German protection measures include a general
requirement to keep poultry indoors. Exception from this requirement can
be granted by the local authorities for non-risks areas. The rule for
defining risk areas is laid down in a federal regulation. In reaction to
the FLI April risk assessment, it was proposed to transfer the authority
to define risk areas from the federal to the state level. Reportedly,
this was done to accommodate the states request for more authority. The
final vote on the respective law is scheduled for July 6, 2007.

Despite the current incidents, both BMELV and FLI stated in the above
mentioned press conference that they felt comfortable with the proposed
change to go ahead. Should the situation change drastically, BMELV can
always put in place Germany wide emergency measures that would limit
state exemptions.

# Key Facts on the Poultry Sector in Germany 

In 2006, Germany produced 1.03 million MT of poultry meat and 804,000 MT
or 13 billion pieces of eggs[^2]. The production value at the producer
level amounted to US\$ 1.66 billion (1.1 billion Euro) for poultry plus
US\$ 680 million (544 million Euro) for eggs. In total, poultry and egg
production holds a 4.4 percent share of the total German agricultural
production.

According to the animal census carried out in May 2005, Germany reports
a total of 120.6 million live poultry animals. Broken down this
represents 107 million chickens, thereof 50 million laying hens and
chicks and 57 million broilers, plus 11 million turkeys, 2.4 million
ducks, and 329,500 geese.

The top five poultry producing states are Lower-Saxony, North
Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, with 44, 9, 8, 7
and 7 percent of the poultry population, respectively.

# Table: Poultry numbers in Bavaria, Saxony, and Germany in May 2005\*

  ------------------------ --------------- --------------- ---------------
                           Germany         Bavaria         Saxony

  Chickens                 107 million     9 million       7.8 million

  Turkeys                  11 million      659,900         223,900

  Ducks                    2.4 million     91,700          14,100

  Geese                    329,500         9,300           39,300

  Total Poultry            120.6 million   9.8 million     8.04 million
  ------------------------ --------------- --------------- ---------------

\* Latest available data

Source: German Federal Office of Statistics, Wiesbaden

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  GM5042   Germany   Avian Influenza Update: Free Range Chicken   12/19/2005
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  -------- --------- -------------------------------------------- ------------

[^1]: As a result of a reported suspected HPAI case, routinely, a 3 km
    protection zone is established for 21 days and a 10 km surveillance
    zone for 30 days. In the protection zone

    \- transport of birds, poultry and poultry meat is prohibited,

    \- birds and poultry have to be kept indoors,

    \- commercial poultry farms may only be entered by farm personnel
    and vets,

    \- mats with disinfectants have to be placed at the entrances and
    exits of poultry holdings, and

    \- cats and dogs are prohibited from roaming freely.

[^2]: This includes edible eggs and hatching eggs.