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Poultry keepers were today urged to start registering their birds as part of a new scheme to boost government and industry's ability to effectively tackle an outbreak of avian flu.

Owners, who can request a registration form by calling a freephone number or download a copy from Defra's website, have until 28th February next year to register their birds.

Defra minister Ben Bradshaw urged owners of flocks of 50 or more birds to fill out and send off a registration form as soon as possible.

The Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) Regulations 2005 require those who usually keep 50 or more poultry on a commercial poultry premises to register their birds.

Mr Bradshaw said: "Currently no central database of poultry flocks exists. The aim of the register is to gather essential information about birds on commercial premises across Great Britain so we can build up a better picture of the size, type and proximity of flocks.

"We do not want to create more government red tape. This should be seen as an essential disease prevention measure. The information on this register will help us improve our contingency planning to help manage any potential disease outbreak."

National Farmer's Union Poultry Board chairman, Charles Bournes said: "This register will enhance already existing contingency measures and it has our full support. Commercial poultry keepers must register their birds at the earliest possible time to ensure our valuable industry is best placed to deal with any potential disease outbreak."

A spokesman for the National Gamekeepers Organisation, said: "We fully support the establishment of the poultry register. Sensible planning is a good thing, and this register is low on bureaucracy, but high on security."

Notes

At present, premises with fewer than 50 birds are not required to register. However, they can voluntarily register their birds after 28 February if they wish to.

The Register will gather information for Wales, Scotland and England. A separate register has been established in Northern Ireland.

The legislation that requires poultry to be registered is:

For the purpose of the Great Britain Register "poultry " means all birds which are reared, given, sold, or kept in captivity for commercial purposes including:

• showing;
• breeding;
• the production of meat or eggs for consumption;
• the production of other commercial products; and
• restocking supplies of game.

This requirement does not apply to premises where all poultry (and their eggs) are kept by their owners for their own consumption, or as pets.

The full list of species that need to be registered includes:

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