Voluntary Report - Public distribution

**Date:** 7/13/2007

**GAIN Report Number:** GM7030

GM7030

**Germany**

**Sanitary/Phytosanitary/Food Safety**

**AI update: Total Number Rises to 240 Wild Birds, One Goose on Backyard
Farm**

**2007**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Rey Santella, Agricultural Attache

U.S. Embassy

**Prepared by:**

Sabine M. Lieberz

**Report Highlights:**

This report provides an update on our report GM7025 dated June 25, 2007.
From June 24 through July 12, 2007, HPAI was confirmed in a total of 240
wild birds in four of the sixteen German states (Thuringia,
Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, and Bavaria). In addition, one HPAI case was
confirmed in a domestic goose in a small backyard farm in Thuringia. As
a result, the other four geese and five ducks on the holding as well as
all poultry (1200 animals) in a three kilometer radius were destroyed.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Unscheduled Report

Berlin \[GM1\]

\[GM\]

**Additional H5N1 Cases in Wild Birds**

On June 24, 2007, the first cases of high pathogen avian influenza
(HPAI) H5N1 in 2007 were confirmed in wild birds in Bavaria (see our
report GM7025). Since then, HPAI was also diagnosed in wild birds in the
States of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia taking the total of cases
in wild birds to 240. Protection and surveillance zones around all sites
where the birds were found were established immediately[^1].

The vast majority of cases occurred at a dam at the border of
Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. Most of the affected birds consisted of
black-necked grebes (*Podiceps nigricollis*).

  ------------------------------ --------- ------------------------------
                                 2006      2007

                                           as of July 12

  Saxony-Anhalt                            181

  Thuringia                                38

  Bavaria                        73        14

  Saxony                         2         7

  Berlin                         1         

  Lower-Saxony                   2         

  Baden-Wuerttemberg             19        

  Brandenburg                    21        

  Schleswig-Holstein             32        

  Mecklenburg-West Pomerania     194       

  Total                          344       240
  ------------------------------ --------- ------------------------------

# HPAI in a Backyard Flock

In addition, HPAI was confirmed in a goose in a backyard operation in
Thuringia on July 6, 2007. The flock consisted of five geese and five
ducks, which were destroyed immediately. Protection and surveillance
zones were also established immediately. After confirmation of HPAI, all
poultry within a three kilometer radius were also destroyed, a total of
1200 animals. The incident was reported to OIE on July 7, 2007.

**Updated German AI Risk Assessment**

In light of the new cases, the German reference laboratory
*Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut* (FLI) revised its risk assessment on July
6, 2007, and increased the risk level attributed to wild birds from
moderate to high. In detail the FLI risk assessment stated the following
risk levels[^2]:

\- Infection through illegal imports: high

\- Infection through resident wild birds: high

\- Infection through migratory birds: low

\- Infection through vehicles: low

\- Infection through legal imports: negligible

**Regulatory Changes Halted**

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 GM7025 we had reported about an upcoming vote on a law to transfer
the authority to define risk areas from the federal to the state level.
In the light of increased HPAI cases, the law was withdrawn from the
agenda, thus, leaving the authority for regulations on risk area
definition with the federal level.

# Press and Consumer Reaction

The focus of press coverage has changed substantially compared to last
year. In 2006, papers were full of pictures of dead birds and much was
written about possible threats to human health. This time the focus is
on the effect that protection and surveillance zones have on free range
egg producers, hobby farmers, and dog and cat owners. So far, the new
cases seem to have little effect on consumer purchases of poultry meat.

# 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[^3]. 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-    Saxony     Thuringia
                                          Anhalt                

  Chickens       107 million  9 million   8.1        7.8        4.3 million
                                          million    million    

  Turkeys        11 million   659,900     704,800    223,900    157,700

  Ducks          2.4 million  91,700      184,200    14,100     9,000

  Geese          329,500      9,300       6,300      39,300     9,200

  Total Poultry  120.6        9.8 million 8.98       8.04       4.4 million
                 million                  million    million    
  -------------- ------------ ----------- ---------- ---------- -----------

\* Latest available data

Source: German Federal Office of Statistics, Wiesbaden

**Related reports:**

  -------- --------- -------------------------------------------- ------------
  Report             Title                                        Date
                                                                  released

  GM7025   Germany   AI Re-Appears in Wild Birds                  06/25/2007

  GM6015   Germany   AI confirmed in a Commercial Poultry Farm -  04/07/2006
                     Consumer Reaction Limited                    

  GM6011   Germany   AI Update: AI confirmed in cats and          03/10/2006
                     suspected in a beech marten                  

  GM6008   Germany   AI update: 127 cases in wild birds none in   03/02/2006
                     domestic poultry                             

  GM6007   Germany   AI among wild birds reaches German mainland  02/21/2006

  GM6005   Germany   AI Confirmed in Two Dead Swans in Northern   02/16/2006
                     Germany                                      

  GM5042   Germany   Avian Influenza Update: Free Range Chicken   12/19/2005
                     Allowed Outside Again                        

  GM5035   Germany   AI-Threat: German Poultry Must Stay Inside - 09/12/2005
                     But Only in Certain Regions                  
  -------- --------- -------------------------------------------- ------------

[^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]: The risks categories are defined as

    Likely: circumstance can happen or could be reasonably expected

    High: probability of this circumstance to occur is higher than
    average

    Medium: probability is on an average level

    Low: probability is below average

    Negligible: probability is so low that there is no need to look at
    this circumstance

[^3]: This includes edible eggs and hatching eggs.