S.L. 437.109 Art. 17Vaccination of designated species of poultry.

(1) When Newcastle disease has been confirmed, the competent authority, in order to supplement the other control measures provided for in these rules, has the power to specify a territorial area and period in which the prompt and systematic vaccination (emergency vaccination) of designated species of poultry shall be carried out under official control. The competent authority shall inform the Commission and other Member States within the framework of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (PAFF Committee), established by Article 58(1) of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, about the Newcastle disease situation and emergency vaccination programme.

(2) In the case referred to in sub-rule (1), the vaccination or re-vaccination of poultry on the holding subject to the restrictions referred to in rule 4 is prohibited.

(3) In the case referred to in sub-rule (1):

(a) the designated species of poultry shall be vaccinated as soon as possible;

(b) all poultry of designated species born on or transferred to a holding inside the vaccination area must be or have been vaccinated;

(c) throughout the vaccination operation provided for in sub-rule (1) all poultry of designated species kept on holdings inside the vaccination area must remain there except:

(i) one (1) day-old chicks moved to a holding inside the vaccination area where they shall be vaccinated;

(ii) poultry moved directly to a slaughterhouse for immediate slaughter. If the slaughterhouse is located outside the vaccination area the movement of poultry shall be permitted only after the official veterinarian has carried out a health inspection of the holding;

(d) when the vaccination operations provided for in paragraph (a) have been completed, movements out of the vaccination area may be authorised for:

(i) one (1) day-old chicks intended for meat production may be moved to a holding where they shall be vaccinated; the holding in question must be kept under surveillance until the poultry which have been moved have been slaughtered;

(ii) poultry vaccinated more than twenty-one

(21) days previously and intended for immediate slaughter;

(iii) hatching eggs which originate from breeding poultry vaccinated at least twenty-one (21) days previously; the eggs and their packing must be disinfected before movement.

(4) The measures provided for in paragraphs (b) and (d) of sub-rule (3) shall be applied for a period of three (3) months following completion of vaccination operations provided for in sub-rule (1); they may be extended for one or more additional periods of three (3) months.

(5) By way of derogation from paragraphs (a) and (b) of sub-rule (3), the competent authorities may exempt certain flocks of particular scientific value from systematic vaccination, provided that all necessary steps are taken by the competent authority to ensure protection of their health and to subject them to periodic serological checks.