German authorities combat recurring avian influenza outbreak at Friesland turkey farm

German animal health authorities have confirmed a new avian influenza outbreak at a turkey farm in Friesland, prompting widespread containment measures amid ongoing threats to regional poultry industries.

German animal health authorities have confirmed a fresh avian influenza outbreak at a commercial turkey farm in Wangerland, in Friesland, where about 6,600 birds were affected, according to the Jade-Weser veterinary association. The infection was identified on Tuesday, by which time some of the turkeys had already died.

The remaining birds were culled under animal welfare rules to curb the risk of further spread. Local authorities have since imposed both a protection zone and a larger surveillance zone across the district, with a housing order among the restrictions now in force.

The wider 10-kilometre monitoring area extends into parts of Wittmund and Wilhelmshaven, underlining the disruptive footprint such outbreaks can have across regional poultry supply chains. Similar measures were introduced in Wangerland in October 2022, when around 7,200 turkeys were culled, and again in February 2025, when a laying-hen unit lost about 12,000 birds.

The Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Germany’s federal animal health research body, said in January 2024 that avian influenza remained a persistent threat, with a high risk of further outbreaks in poultry holdings. For producers, the immediate cost is not only the loss of stock but also the operational restrictions that follow, including movement controls and compulsory confinement of birds.