MEATing POINT Magazine: #12 / 2017

NEWS
actually take place outside Germany, for
example in markets where Danish Crown
Beef sees considerable growth potential –
including Sweden and southern Europe. So its
geographical location is just a starting point for
ensuring the supply of good raw materials for
all Danish Crown Beef’s markets. In Germany,
we have been successfully selling beef, but
as a niche supplier of high-value meat to
industrial customers and the foodservice
market. This is a position that we can now
consolidate and develop further. On the other
hand – and completely in line with the 4WD
strategy – we have decided not to enter the
highly competitive German retail sector, at
least not directly. We do not believe we can
make money there, says Finn Klostermann.
Teterower Fleisch’s local management team
will stay in place as a way of maintaining the
company’s strong local connections – but
will be supplemented with management
resources from Danish Crown Beef.
The agreement on the acquisition of Teterower
Fleisch has been reported to the German
federal cartel office (the Bundeskartellamt),
which must approve the takeover before it
can be finalised.
www.danishcrown.com
UPDATED BVA, BVA
SCOTTISH AND
WELSH BRANCHES
AND BVPA RESPOND
TO CONFIRMATION
OF AVIAN
INFLUENZA
issue 12 | www.meatingpoint-mag.com
On 24 January, the UK’s Chief Veterinary
Officer confirmed a new case of Avian
Influenza H5N8 in a commercial flock
of approximately 10,000 farmed
breeding pheasants in Pilling, Preston,
Lancashire. Some birds at the premises
have died and the remaining birds will
be humanely culled. A 3km Protection
Zone and a 10km Surveillance Zone
around the infected premises to limit
the risk of the disease spreading.
This follows confirmation from the Chief
Veterinary Officer for Wales on 22 December
2016 of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
H5N8 in a wild duck, a wigeon, in Llanelli,
Carmarthenshire and further confirmed cases
of the H5N8 strain of Avian Influenza in
commercial and backyard flocks and wild
birds in England and Scotland. In response,
the British Veterinary Association (BVA), BVA
Scottish and Welsh Branches and the British
Veterinary Poultry Association (BVPA) have
issued a statement.
The precautions taken by the governments
in England, Scotland and Wales remain
in place, including the Prevention Zones
(housing orders) and temporary ban on
poultry gatherings. BVA advice to poultry
keepers and vets remains as below. Any
further findings of Avian Influenza in will
be published online by Defra.
Poultry and captive bird keepers should
continue to house their birds, where practicable,
maintain their biosecurity and remain vigilant
about the health of their birds.
Steps also have been taken to further protect
poultry and captive birds by introducing
a temporary suspension on gatherings of
poultry. Poultry keepers, including those
with fewer than 50 birds, are encouraged
to provide details of their flocks to the
Poultry Register. This will ensure they can
be contacted immediately in the event of
an avian disease outbreak so that they
can take action to protect their flock at the
earliest opportunity.
The advice from Public Health England
(PHE) is that the risk to public health
from the virus is very low and the Food
Standards Agency (FSA) has stated that
bird flu does not pose a food safety risk for
UK consumers. Thoroughly cooked poultry
and poultry products, including eggs, are
safe to eat.
The BVA, BVA Scottish and Welsh Branches,
and BVPA responded:
“The identification of Avian Influenza in wild
birds and domestic flocks illustrates both the
ongoing importance of a robust veterinary
surveillance system and the risk of infection
to domestic poultry from wild birds. BVA,
BVA Scottish and Welsh Branches, and
BVPA urge all vets and poultry keepers to
remain vigilant to signs of the disease and
heed the biosecurity advice issued by the
governments in England, Scotland and
Wales. Any suspicion of Avian Influenza
should be reported to the APHA as soon
as possible.”
“We’d like to also emphasise that the risk
to public health from this strain is very low
and that the Food Standards Agency has
made clear that there is no food safety
risk to consumers, with thoroughly cooked
poultry and poultry products still safe to eat.
www.bva.co.uk
43