The National Control Programme was implemented throughout the UK in January 2009,
which has resulted in all flocks of chickens reared for meat being required to test
for salmonella. Flocks produced for private consumption, or where there is direct
supply of small quantities of products to the final consumer may find themselves
exempt from these requirements.
The requirements
You are required to take 2 pairs of boot swabs per flock within the period of three
weeks before the birds are due for slaughter. Both pairs of boot swabs must be pooled
together into one sample bag for testing as one sample. In flocks with less than
100 chickens, where it is not possible to use boot swabs as access to the houses
is not possible, they may be replaced by hand drag swabs, where the boot swabs are
worn over gloved hands and rubbed over surfaced contaminated with fresh faeces.
PLEASE NOTE:
A flock means all poultry of the same health status kept on the same premises or
in the same enclosure and constituting a single epidemiological unit; in the case
of housed poultry; this includes all birds sharing the same airspace.
Links
Defra - National Control Programmes for the reduction of Salmonella (External link)