Paris (AFP)

The authorities are asking breeders in 46 French departments on Thursday to confine their poultry, in the hope of preventing migratory birds from transmitting a virus to them with formidable consequences for French breeding.

The level of risk has risen to "high" in these territories, including the Landes and the Gers, renowned for their production of foie gras, according to a decree published in the Official Journal.

The risk associated with highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as avian influenza, remains qualified as "moderate" in other French departments.

Since January 2018 and until the end of October, the risk was still considered "negligible" across the country.

If detected in France, this virus would put poultry producers in difficulty, with the closure of export outlets.

Duck farmers in the South-West were struck twice, during the winters of 2015-2016 and 2016-2017, by episodes of avian influenza which had caused massive culling to eradicate the disease and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. euros to producers.

The foie gras industry does not hide its concerns, at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic is already raising gloomy prospects for the end-of-year celebrations, crucial for sales.

"To have lived through the previous crises, we would not want to have to manage a health crisis (in farms) in addition to the consequences of the confinement" decreed against the Covid-19, told AFP Marie-Pierre Pé, director of the Cifog inter-profession.

- "Not safe" -

The "high" level of risk implies, for professional breeders as well as individuals owning a backyard, to lock up poultry which usually evolve in the open air or to lay nets to prevent any contact with wild birds.

Some breeders are counting on an exemption to maintain, even without a net, a narrowed outdoor route after a visit from the veterinarian and the prefect's agreement, specifies Eric Cachan, president of Synalaf, which represents some 6,000 farmers of farm poultry.

The idea being that animals "which are used to being outside" and risk becoming too "nervous" - such as guinea fowl, Christmas turkeys, capons - can come out in the immediate vicinity of their building.

"We have found that migratory birds do not come" when there is a high density of poultry on a surface, adds Mr. Cachan.

The gatherings of live poultry, at fairs for example, as well as the transport and release of game birds by hunters are also prohibited.

"We are much better prepared than the previous times," said Anne Richard, director of the Anvol inter-professional organization, which notably brings together producers of chickens, turkeys and ducks (excluding those intended for the production of foie gras).

There has been "a tremendous amount of investment and training in biosafety," she said.

"We ask breeders a very active surveillance to alert veterinarians if normal mortality appears", reports Ms. Pé, from the foie gras industry, believing that "we are not immune to the virus passing" despite everything .

It notes that one of the outbreaks detected in the Netherlands is located in a breeding farm, however "very secure in terms of health".

After outbreaks appeared in Russia and Kazakhstan this summer, the disease has spread westward, recently reaching the Netherlands.

"Since then, a dynamic of infection has been packed with 13 cases in wildlife and one outbreak in broiler chicken farming in the Netherlands and 13 cases in wild birds in Germany were declared. On November 3, the Kingdom -Uni also declares a first outbreak, in the north-west of England, "said the Department of Agriculture in the decree.

This virus "spreads very quickly in birds and causes very high mortality", describes ANSES on its website: its transmission "between birds can be direct by close contact between individuals - respiratory secretions, faeces - or indirect through exposure to contaminated material - food, water, equipment or clothing ".

© 2020 AFP