Division 3 Target populations

The sampling of the following poultry species and production categories shall be included in the surveillance programme:

1. (a)

   laying hens;

2. (b)

   free range laying hens;

3. (c)

   chicken breeders;

4. (d)

   turkey breeders;

5. (e)

   duck breeders;

6. (f)

   geese breeders;

7. (g)

   fattening turkeys;

8. (h)

   fattening ducks;

9. (i)

   fattening geese;

10. (j)

    farmed game birds (gallinaceous) focusing on adult birds such as breeding birds;

11. (k)

    farmed game birds (waterfowl);

12. (l)

    ratites.

However, in the following specified exceptional circumstances, the following poultry categories may also be included:

1. (m)

   broilers, but only when: (i) they are kept in significant numbers in free range production and (ii) they are considered to pose a higher risk of infection with avian influenza;

2. (n)

   backyard flocks: they generally play a minor role in virus circulation and spread and sampling them is resource intensive; however, in certain F1areas backyard flocks may pose a higher risk of avian influenza due to their presence in significant numbers, their proximity to commercial poultry holdings, involvement in local/regional trade and other criteria and risk factors as listed in Section 4.1 in particular as regards the species composition.

However, where a well reasoned justification as regards the level of risk is provided for a poultry production category (such as chicken breeders kept under high biosecurity conditions), it may also be omitted from the sampling.