The level of risk linked to avian flu in mainland France was raised on Saturday November 9, 2024, from “moderate” to “high”. French poultry must therefore be confined… In Neufchâtel-en-Bray (Seine-Maritime) the traditional farmyard animal fair is still held, but with strict conditions. Discovery.
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The decision was published this Friday, November 8, 2024 in the Official Journal and made official on Saturday: the level of risk linked to avian flu rises to its highest threshold, leading to a number of obligations for poultry breeders and in particular strict confinement animals, throughout France, to mitigate the epizootic risk. Because although no cases have been detected in Normandy, the number of outbreaks is increasing in Europe.
Despite this tense context, a huge farmyard animal fair, the 3rd largest poultry show in France, is being held until Monday in Neufchâtel-en-Bray (Seine-Maritime). In total, 1,019 poultry, 299 rabbits and 653 ornamental pigeons are offered to the curiosity of visitors and the critical eye of the judges of the French Poultry Championship.
Thousands of animals brought together in an exhibition center by Neufchâtel Aviculture can be interviewed. But Christophe Gaillard, president of the association and organizer of the national farmyard animal show, immediately reassures: all the conditions are met to ensure the safety of animals in the face of disease, according to him.
“All animals must be vaccinated. Authorization must be requested from each department. There were no outbreaks in the animal breeding departments present here“, he emphasizes, referring to hundreds of phone calls, emails and follow-ups to ensure the event ran smoothly.
Watch this report by Elsa Gavinet, with Olivier Flavien:
duration of the video: 00h01mn55s
The Basse-Court animal fair is being held despite the avian flu.
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©France 3 Normandy
In addition, these animals have a somewhat special status: “We argued at the national level that these were ornamental animals. These are not animals in direct contact with wildlife.explains Christophe Gaillard. We have taken all the necessary steps.“
Christophe Gaillard spared no effort, for good reason. In the aisles of the show, a very important competition is taking place: the French poultry championships!
Curved beak, outfit, shape of the eyelids… The animals are inspected from every angle, according to the standards of their breed, and nothing escapes the notice of the judges, like Jocelyne Brouez, who came specially from Belgium:
duration of video: 00h00mn30s
Jocelyne Brouez, poultry judge, came specially from Belgium.
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©E. Gavinet / France 3 Normandy
“It’s a bit like cattle. We, judges, establish the conformity of the race that we see before our eyesexplains Pierre Delambre, international poultry judge. Then we classify them. We give them a score that goes up to 97, because 100 is not possible, it is something perfect.“
On the breeders’ side, we don’t always show it, but we are a little stressed. Especially since if the animals are all magnificent, there can only be one winner per breed. See you Monday for the verdict.
43rd farmyard animal show – from November 9 to 11 at the La Boutonnière exhibition center in Neufchâtel-en-Bray
From 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Entrance: 2 euros (free for children under 12)
