Overview
- France raised its avian influenza risk to the highest level by ministerial order, triggering compulsory housing of all poultry, bans on bird gatherings, reinforced biosecurity, and virological testing before movements of palmipeds.
- At Lac du Der in the Marne, roughly 5,000 common cranes have been found dead to date, with OFB teams collecting dozens of carcasses each day during peak migration.
- France’s animal-health surveillance platform warns of a probable large-scale introduction via cranes, citing 85 poultry outbreaks in Europe between early August and October 26 and a marked rise in Germany.
- Several French farm outbreaks were confirmed in October, with local culls including about 800 birds at a Cher holding as national confinement and surveillance intensify.
- Germany has recorded 31 farm outbreaks since early September and culled more than 500,000 birds, while French producers voice concern as state co‑financing of duck vaccination falls to about 40% from roughly 70% last season.