Wedoany.com Report-Oct. 23, The Netherlands will cull around 161,000 chickens at a poultry farm in the central-eastern region of the country after bird flu was detected there, the government said in a statement on Wednesday. The cull is part of the country’s efforts to control a possible spread of avian influenza among domestic flocks.

Artur Watt, Director General of Brazilian ANP (National Agency of Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels), speaks during an oil block auction in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, October 22, 2025.

According to the ministry of agriculture, a transport ban has been imposed within a 10 km radius of the affected farm. The restriction covers movement of poultry, eggs and related materials and affects 26 other poultry farms in the zone. This measure is intended to limit contact among farms and reduce the risk of virus transmission.

Last week the Dutch Agriculture Ministry issued a nationwide order for poultry farms to keep their birds indoors. It also banned bird shows across the country. These additional biosecurity steps are precautionary, intended to reduce the chance of wild birds infecting domestic flocks.

Authorities noted that the culling and the transport ban will be executed under veterinary supervision and in line with standard animal-health protocols. The government emphasized that the outbreak has been located at a single site so far, and surveillance of nearby farms is ongoing. At this stage, no further national-level confinement orders have been reported, but the situation is being monitored.

Avian influenza is a viral bird disease that primarily affects birds, especially poultry, and can spread rapidly within flocks. While most strains pose a low risk to humans, outbreaks in poultry can cause significant economic and production disruptions. The Dutch authorities stressed the importance of maintaining high biosecurity standards and coordinating closely with poultry farmers and veterinary services to manage the incident.

By acting promptly with the targeted cull, regional movement restriction and the nationwide indoor-housing mandate, the Netherlands aims to safeguard its poultry sector and protect the continuity of production and supply. Further updates will be provided as monitoring results become available and if the authorities determine that additional measures are needed.