DIRECTIVE RELATED WITH THE DEFINITION and DECLERATION OF ZONES 
FREE FROM NOTIFIABLE AVIAN INFLUENZA DISEASE  
 
 
Objective  
ARTICLE 1 - (1) The objective of this Directive is to determine the procedures and 
principles to define and declare zones free from Av ian Influenza disease in order to protect 
animal and public health, provide safe animal origin production and to sustain international 
trade.  
Scope  
ARTICLE 2 - (1) This Directive includes the procedures related with the definition of 
the zones that will be defined as zones free of Avian Influenza and inspection and survey 
procedures that will be realized.   
Reference  
ARTICLE 3 - (1) This Directive is issued by referring to the provisions of Article 4 of 
Veterinarian Services, Phytosanitary, Food and Feed  Law No:5996 and the provisions of the 
related sections of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code in respect to Avian Influenza 
disease.       
Definition of a Zone  
ARTICLE 4 – (1) Our Country consist of 81 provinces that are formed according to 
central ad ministration establishment, geographical location, economic status and public 
services and according to the survey plan prepared by the Ministry related with Avian 
Influenza each province or any province that is specified are considered as a zone. Each zon e, 
under biosecurity management system is consisting of poultry population with the same 
health status in terms of the disease.     
Declaration of disease free zones  
ARTICLE 5 – (1) After determining Avian Influenza, disease has been eradicate d by 
taking necessary actions and at August 15th, 2015  World Animal Health Organization (OIE) 
has been notified that our country is free of Avian Influenza. Due to the results of the survey 
realized all through the country in 2105 and 2016 our country is free of Avian  Influenza and 
therefore the 81 regions that have been established according to the provisions of this 
Directive have been declared as free of disease.    
(2) Declared 81 regions are announced in the web site by the Ministry. Related with 
the disease statu s in our country and according to the results of the surveys these regions are 
updated whenever necessary and in the beginning of every year.    
(3) The attached tables (Annex -1) related with the hatcheries, breeding poultry 
establishments, commercial layer s establishments, commercial broiler establishments, feed 
establishments, poultry slaughterhouses and wetlands  that will be used in the activities to 
sustain the disease free status of the regions that are free of Avian Influenza and declared by 
this Direc tive are submitted to the General Directorate by the Province Directorate every year 
until 15th January  in excel format, primarily to the mucadele@tarim.gov.tr  e-mail address.    
(4) An active and a passive surv ey is conducted in every region in every 6 months and 
all through the year, respectively.  
(5) Passive survey will be conducted as follows :  
a) Passive survey is realized by the clinical monitoring during the visits to the 
backyard and commercial poultry es tablishments. Besides sick or death poultry notifications 
are also considered within the scope of passive surveys .  
b) Passive surveys in every 6 months consist of minimum 10% of the number of 
villages and commercial establishment within the borders of the  province.   c) The villages and commercial establishments subject to the sampling during the 
passive survey shall be selected according to the Simple Random Sampling  Table  (Annex -3).    
ç) Determination of the villages and commercial establishments that w ill be inspected 
by the Simple Random Sampling  Table : The villages and the poultry houses in the 
commercial establishments shall be selected separately.  A number shall be given to each 
poultry house in the villages and commercial establishments in the regi on (breeding, 
commercial broiler and layer) and two lists shall be formed (village list, poultry house list). 
Determination will begin from any random point of the Random table in Annex -3. For 
example, let’s assume there are 138 poultry house in our region . 14 poultry houses that are 
10% of 138 poultry houses shall be selected for passive survey.  A number from 1 to 138 will 
be given to each poultry house before the survey.  Therefore if we start from the line starting 
with number 54381 in the 2nd column of the table14 poultry houses will be selected by using 
the last 3 numbers. If we move downward of this column numbers more than 138 and same 
numbers are omitted and selection will continue until 14 numbers are determined. When a 
column ends the selection pro cedure shall continue by using the next column. The numbers in 
this example are 133, 115, 11, 51, 70…. and so on. Passive survey is conducted at the poultry 
houses with these numbers.                    
d) In the passive survey especially the daily feed an d water intake, live weight increase 
and decrease in egg yield, symptoms of respiratory  system infections and daily mortality rate 
increase are inspected and the Passive Survey Scanning Form for Village Poultry form 
(Annex -2) and Passive Survey Scanning Fo rm for Commercial Establishments (poultry 
house) are filled for villages and commercial establishment, respectively at every visit.  
e) The results of the passive survey will be written to the Village/Commercial 
Establishments (poultry houses) Passive Surv ey Result Report (Annex -2) by the Province 
Directorates at the first week of July and last week of December  and will be sent to the 
General Directorate.   
f) If there is any suspicious related with the disease in the passive survey, sample will 
be taken a nd sent to the entitled Institute Directorate.     
 (6) The active survey plan prepared by the Ministry according to the related provisions 
of the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code related with  
Avian Influenza will be s ent to the Province Directorates before the survey. Active survey 
will be conducted as follows:   
a) Active survey will be conducted by considering especially the periods when 
migratory birds activities are intense and the first survey will be conducted in  March, April 
and May and the second active survey will be conducted in September, October and 
November.  
b) Active survey is realized by the samples taken for virological and serological 
inspection  
c) Active survey is prepared to include the poultry in al l commercial, village and 
wetland regions.  
ç) The analysis of the samples for active survey are done according to the methods 
indicated in the Book of Unification of Diagnosis prepared by our Ministry as being in 
harmony with OIE.    
d) Bornova Veterinaria n Control Institute Directorate sends the results of the first and 
the second survey to the General Directorate at the time that is indicated in the survey plan 
prepared by the Ministry.   
Transportation of live poultry, hatching eggs and feed between free  zones  
Article  6 – (1) Transportation of live poultry except day old chicks between free zones 
are done under the following conditions . a) Animals that will be transported at the date of loading should not show any clinical 
symptoms related with Avian Infl uenza . 
b) Animals should have to be in the same establishment after they left the hatchery or 
minimum for 21 days . 
c) Transportation vehicles should have to be disinfected . 
(2) Transportation of day old chicks between free zones are done under the followin g 
conditions . 
a) The hatchery that the day old chick is obtained should be free of Avian Influenza 
disease.  
b) The eggs that the day old chicks are obtained from should have to be obtained from 
breeders that are free of Avian Influenza at the day of egg ga thering and minimum for 21 days 
before the day of egg gathering.  
c) Transportation vehicles should have to be disinfected . 
(3) The hatching eggs obtained from free zones are transported to the hatcheries at the 
free zones under the following conditions .  
a) The eggs should have to be obtained from breeders that are free of Avian Influenza 
and live in the same establishment at the day of gathering and  minimum for 21 days  before 
the day of gathering .  
b) Eggs should be sanitized . 
c) Eggs should be transported  with new or sanitized viols . 
ç) Transportation vehicles should have to be disinfected . 
 (4) Veterinarian Health Certificate for the Domestic Transportation of Poultry Animal 
and Veterinarian Health Certificate for the Domestic Transportation of Animal Ori gin 
Products are issued for live poultry and hatching eggs, respectively.   
 (5) Vehicles used for feed transportation should be cleaned and disinfected.  
(6) If there is a region not free of disease between two regions that are free of disease 
transportat ion vehicle shall not stop at that region and continue it’s voyage.   
Transportation of live animal, hatching eggs and feed from a non free zone to a 
free zone  
ARTICLE 7 – (1) Live poultry transportation from a region that is not free of disease 
to a regi on free of disease shall be realized under the following procedure :  
a) Animals should have to be in the same establishment after they left the hatchery or 
minimum for 21 days   
b) Animals that will be transported at the date of loading should not show any clinical 
symptoms related with Avian Influenza . 
c) Animals that will be transported should be tested for Avian Influenza within 14 
days before date of loading and result should be negative. For the tests 20 cloacal and tracheal 
swap  samples and blood sampl es should be taken from the animals and should be sent to the 
entitled Institute Directorate. Institute Directorate analysis the samples and submits the results 
to the Province Directorate. If the result of the analyses is appropriate, Province Directorate  
issues a Veterinarian Health Certificate for Domestic Transportation of Poultry Animal and 
the copy of the analysis result is attached to this certificate that is issued for transportation.  
ç) Animals are transported in the disinfected vehicles that are sealed by or under the 
supervision of the veterinarian. Vehicles do not stop until they go to the slaughterhouse.  
d) Post mortem and ante mortem examination should be done.  
e) A contact with the slaughterhouse should be established before the transportati on of 
the animals to the slaughterhouse and animals from the free zone should be kept separate from 
the other poultry animals and should be slaughtered in the same day without any delay. After 
slaughtering, slaughterhouse should be cleaned and disinfected  f) Meat and meat products obtained from the animals from zones that are not free of 
disease shall not be used for international trade and shall only be consumed domestically. . 
(2) Transportation of eggs from a zone not free of disease to a zone free of dis ease 
under the following conditions.   
a) The hatchery that the eggs are obtained from should be free of Avian Influenza and 
day old chicks should not show any clinical symptoms of Avian Influenza at the day of 
loading.  
b) Day of chicks are transported by the Veterinarian Health Report for Domestic 
Transportation of Poultry Animals.  
c) Day old chicks are transported in the disinfected vehicles that are sealed by or under 
the supervision of the veterinarian. Vehicles do not stop until they go to the establis hments.  
ç) Day old chicks should be  in quarantine  for at least 21 days in the establishment they 
are transported to.  
d) If the breeder eggs and the day old chicks from these eggs delivered from a zone 
free of disease to a hatchery in a zone that is not fre e of disease shall be transported to an 
establishment in a zone free of disease, they should not be in contact with eggs and day old 
chicks from these eggs that are delivered from a zone that is not free of disease.    
e) Day old chicks produced in a zone that is not free of disease shall not be introduced 
to international trade.  
(3) Transportation of live poultry from a zone not free of disease to a zone free of 
disease is done according to the following procedure .  
a) Animals that will be transported at the day of loading should not show any clinical 
symptoms related with Avian Influenza.  
b) Animals that will be transported should be tested for Avian Influenza within 14 
days before date of loading and result should be negative. For the tests 20 cloacal an d tracheal 
swap  samples and blood samples should be taken from the animals and should be sent to the 
entitled Institute Directorate. Institute Directorate analysis the samples and submits the results 
to the Province Directorate. If the result of the analys es is appropriate, Province Directorate 
issues a Veterinarian Health Certificate for Domestic transportation of Poultry Animal and the 
copy of the analysis result is attached to this certificate that is issued for transportation   
c) Animals are transported  in the disinfected vehicles that are sealed by or under the 
supervision of the veterinarian. Vehicles do not stop until they go to the target establishment.  
ç) Animals should be  in quarantine  for at least 21 days in the establishment they are 
transported to.  
d) Live poultry in the zones that are not free of disease shall not be introduced to 
international trade.  
 (4) Hatching eggs shall be transported from a zone that is not free of disease to a free 
of disease zone under the following procedure.  
a) Eggs  should be obtained from the animals that are in the same establishment at the 
day of loading and minimum for 21 days  before loading .  
b) The breeders that the eggs were obtained from should be free of Avian Influenza at 
the day of loading and minimum for 21 days before loading.  
c) Eggs should be sanitized.  
ç) Eggs should be transported with new or sanitized viols . 
d) Eggs are transported in the disinfected vehicles that are sealed by or under the 
supervision of the veterinarian. Vehicles do not stop until they go to the target establishment.   
e) Animals that the eggs are obtained from should be tested for Avian Influenza within 
7 days before date of loading and result should be negative. For the tests 20 cloacal and 
tracheal swap  samples and blood samples s hould be taken from the animals and should be 
sent to the entitled Institute Directorate. Institute Directorate analysis the samples and submits the results to the Province Directorate. If the result of the analyses is appropriate, Province 
Directorate iss ues a Veterinarian Health Certificate for Domestic transportation of Poultry 
Animal and the copy of the analysis result is attached to this certificate that is issued for 
transportation.   
f) Hatching eggs that are produced in the zones that are not free o f disease shall not be 
introduced to international trade.  
(5) Vehicles that will be used for feed transportation should be cleaned and 
disinfected.  
 
Movements within free and infected zones  
ARTICLE  8 – (1) Movements within the free zone are subject to tran sportation 
certificate .  
(2) Veterinarian Health Certificate for the Domestic Transportation of Poultry Animal 
and Veterinarian Health Certificate for the Domestic Transportation of Animal Origin 
Products are issued for all poultry animal and hatching eggs , respectively  
a) Animals and the animals from which the eggs are obtained from and will be 
transported at the day of loading should not show any clinical symptoms related with Avian 
Influenza  
b) Animals should be in the same establishment at the day of c ollection and minimum 
for 21 days after hatching date.  
c) Eggs should be obtained from the animals that are in the same establishment at the 
day of loading and minimum for 21 days before loading.  
ç) Eggs should be sanitized . 
d) Eggs should be transported  with new or sanitized viols . 
(3) Transportation vehicles should have to be disinfected  during the movements within 
zones that are free and not free of disease.  
In case of Avian Influenza incidence in free zone  
ARTICLE 9 – (1) In case of Avian Influenza i ncidence in a free zone, free zone status 
is repeal ed. Free zone status is repeal ed for each and every zone if the protection and 
surveillance zone are within the borders of more than one zone. Zones that the free of disease 
status is repealed are announce d in the web site of the General Directorate and OIE is 
informed. Following procedure is realized to regain free zone status    
a) After all the animals at the outbreak establishment and at the establishments that the 
Ministry considers risky are killed, af orementioned establishment are cleaned and disinfected   
b) Survey is done according to the rules of World Organization For Animal Health  
(OIE)  in order to determine if the virus is circulating in the zone. If no evidence related with 
the existence of virus  is found due to the results of the survey, 3 months after the disinfection 
of the zone Ministry notifies World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)  that the zone is 
free again  
 
Gene ral Provisions  
ARTICLE 10 – (1)  Provisions of Biosecurity Directive for t he Commercial Broiler 
and layer poultry establishments are fully realized . 
 (2) Any information related with poultry animal diseases at the zones will be 
rigorously  and immediately assessed . 
(3) Gene ral Directorate inspects Province Directorate is necessar y and required . 
(4) Updated zone list in the General Directorate web site will be checked before the 
transportation of live poultry animal and hatching eggs and transportation will be conducted 
according to the directive.   (5) Any transportation from a no n free zone to a free of disease zone violating the 
provision of this directive shall be notified to the General Directorate.  In such a case the 
following procedure will be applied . 
a) Free of status of the zone is immediately repealed by the General Dire ctorate and 
this situation is announced in the web site.      
b) Legal action is taken  by the Province Directorate for the establishments that  realized 
irregular transportation.  
c) In order to re -establish a zone as free of disease a 21 days clinic monitori ng is 
realized all through the zone. In case of suspicious situations samples are taken and sent to 
Institute Directorate.  
ç) Besides clinical monitoring, 20 cloacal and tracheal swap  samples and blood 
samples are taken from the poultry houses of the entir e commercial establishment located in 
the area with a 10 km radius around the establishment that realizes irregular transportation 
and sent to the Institute Directorate.   
d) Institute Directorate analyses the samples and sends the results to General 
Direc torate. If the analysis results and clinical monitoring results are appropriate free of 
disease status of the zone is reestablished and announced in the web site.  
e) If any disease is determined in any sample the free of disease status of the zone is 
cance lled and the provisions in article 9 is applied for the reestablishment of free of disease 
status.  
Enforcement   
ARTICLE 11 – (1) This Directive enters in force by the date of publication . 
  7 Annex -1 
 
CLOSE SYSTEM COMMERCIAL BROYLER ESTABLISHMENT INFORMATION  
 
 
Name of the 
establishment / 
establishment owner  Establishment 
number  Number of 
poultry 
houses at the 
establishment  Address  Animal type 
(Chicken, 
Turkey etc ) Capacity  
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
       8 OPEN SYSTEM COMMERCIAL BROYLER ESTABLISHMENT INFORMATION  
 
 
Name of the 
establishment / 
establishment owner  Establishment 
number  Number of poultry houses at the 
establishment  Addres s Animal type 
(Chicken, 
Turkey etc ) 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
 
  9 CLOSED SYSTEM COMMERCIAL LAYER ESTABLISHMENT INFORMTION  
 
 
Name of the 
establishment  / 
establishment owner  Establishment 
number  Number of 
poultry 
houses at the 
establishment  Address  Animal type 
(Chicken, 
Turkey etc ) Capacity  
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
 
  10 OPEN SYSTEM COMMERCIAL LAYER ESTABLISHMENT INFORMTION   
 
 
Name of the 
establishment / 
establishment owner  Establishment 
number  Address  Animal type 
(chicken, 
quail , etc)  Capacity  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
 
  11 BROILER BREEDER ESTABLISHMENT INFORMATION  
 
 
Name of the 
establishment / 
establishment owner  Establishment 
number  Number of 
poultry 
houses at the 
establishment  Address  Animal 
type 
(chicken, 
quail , etc)  Operation 
approval 
certificate 
date  Capacity  
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
 
  12 LAYER BREEDER ESTABLISHMENT INFORMATION  
 
 
Name of the 
establishment / 
establishment owner  Establishment 
number  Number of 
poultry 
houses at the 
establishment  Address  Animal 
type 
(chicken, 
quail , etc)  Operation 
approval 
certifica te 
date  Capacity  
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
 
  13 HATCHERY ESTABLISHMENT INFORMATION  
 
 
Name of the establish ment / 
establishment owner  Establishment 
number  Address  Animal type 
(chicken, 
turkey, quail , 
etc) Operation 
approval 
certificate 
date  Capacity  
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
 
  14 SLAUGHTERHOUSE ESTABLISHMENT INFORMATION  
 
 
Name of the establishment / 
establishment owner  Establishment 
number  Address  Animal type 
(chicken, 
turkey, 
quail , etc)  Operation 
approval 
certificate 
date  Capacit y  
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
 
  15  
FEED ESTABLISHMENT INFORMATION   
(Self feed producing establishments included ) 
 
 
Name of the es tablishment / 
establishment owner  Address  License Date  Capacity  
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
 
  16  
WETLAN INFORMATION  
 
 
Name of the wetland  Location  Name of the villages wit hin the 
10 km radius  Name of the village and 
establishment number within 
the 10 km radius  
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
 
  17  
BACKYARD POULTRY INFORMATION  
 
 
District   Name of t he village  Number of residence 
having poultry  Number 
of 
chickens  Number 
of turkey  Number 
of goose  Number 
of ducks  Number 
of pigeons  Other  
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
 
  18  
 
PROVINCE SUMMARY FORM FOR POULTRY ESTABLISHMENTS  
 
Type of establishment  Number of 
establishment  Number of 
poultry house  Capacity  
 
Closed c ommercial broiler     
Open commercial broiler      
Closed commercial layer     
Open commercial layer     
Broiler breeder     
Layer Breeder  
    
 
Type of establishment  Number of 
establishment  Capacity  
 
Hatchery  
   
 
BACKYARD POULTRY DATA  
 
Name of  
district  Number of 
villages  Number 
of 
chickens  Number of 
turkey  Number 
of goose  Number of 
ducks  Number of 
pigeons  Other  
        
        
        
  19 ANNEX -2 
COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT (POULTRY HOUSE S) PASSIVE SURVEY 
FORM  
 
Date of clinical survey :  
Date of previous survey :  
Name of establishment / establishment 
owner :  
Establishment address :  
Number of the Establishment  :  
Number of poultry houses :  
Number of poultry houses surveyed :  
Animal   Number   
Type   
Age  
Strain   
Breeding type    
PAS SIVE SURVEY ASSESSMENT  YES / NO  
Abnormal mortality   
Increase in body temperature   
Bristling features   
In appetency    
Swollen eyes and red eye   
Swollen  comb , eye perifer and cyanosis  
and  
Dyspnoea    
Grey color bloody discharge at the nostrils  
Neurotic  symptoms   
diarrhea   
Is there any change at the below parameters? In order to define any change poultry 
house cards will be given . 
Decrease in egg yield   
Decrease in daily live weight increase   
Decrease in daily feed water consumptio n   
DECISION (Avian influenza suspicion )  
 
 
 
 
 
Official Veterinarian / Veterinarians  
Name Surname  
Signature  
 
 
 
  20  
 
PASSIVE SURVEY FORM FOR BACKYARD POULTRY  
 
Date of clinical survey :  
Date of previous survey :  
District name :  
Village name :  
Number  of residence having poultry :  
Number of 
animals in the 
village  Chicken   
Turkey   
Duck   
Goose   
Pigeon   
Other   
PAS SIVE SURVEY ASSESSMENT  YES/NO  
Abnormal mortality   
Increase in body temperature   
Bristling features   
In appetency    
Swollen eyes and red eye   
Swollen  comb , eye perifer and cyanosis  
and  
Dyspnoea    
Grey color bloody discharge at the nostril s  
Neurotic  symptoms   
DECISION (Avian influenza suspicion )  
 
 
 
 
 
Official Veterinarian / Veterinarians  
Name Surname  
Signature  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  21 COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT (POULTRY HOUSE ) PA SSIVE SURVEY  
RESULT REPORT  
 
District name  Establishment 
number  Poultry house 
number  Avian Influenza  
Suspicion  (yes / 
No)  
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
  22 BACKYARD POULTRY PASSIVE SURVEY RESULT REPORT  
 
District name  Village name  Number of residence 
having poultry in the 
village  Avian Influenza  
Suspicion  (yes / 
No) 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
     23 ANNEX -3 
Random sampling Table  
For each random sample number selection, you can start from a different starting  
point and can take a different direction .