Bringing poultry to Sweden

A number of rules apply when you are bringing in breeding poultry and productive poultry:

• Breeding poultry and productive poultry for meat production or eggs for consumption, must have been kept in an approved establishment since hatching or for at least six weeks before they are dispatched.
• Poultry which are raised in captivity for the purpose of maintaining the stock of feathered game, shall have been kept in an approved establishment since hatching or for at least 21 days before being dispatched.
• The flock from which the animals originate must be isolated for a period of 15 days before being dispatched.
• Laying hens must be kept isolated for a period of two weeks before being dispatched, sampled no earlier than 10 days before being dispatched, and sampled with negative results regarding invasive salmonella serotypes
• The poultry must come from flocks that have tested negative for Mycoplasma and all serotypes of Salmonella within 21 days before loading and according to special rules before they are dispatched. Testing is not needed if the disease has not been present at the facility in the last 12 months
• If the animals come from a flock which is covered by the monitoring programme for low pathogenic avian influenza, there must not have been any confirmed cases of infection during the last three weeks before they are dispatched.
• Poultry which are raised in captivity for the purpose of maintaining the stock of feathered game, may only have had contact with birds subject to the same animal health rules during the past 21 days before the poultry are dispatched. This means, for example, that if the poultry are at an approved establishment, they may only have had contact with poultry from approved establishments.
• Ducks and geese shall have been tested for highly pathogenic avian influenza.
• Poultry may not have been vaccinated against Newcastle disease as Sweden does not vaccinate against Newcastle disease. They shall be kept isolated for two weeks in an approved quarantine facility or in their original establishment under the supervision of an official veterinarian in the country they come from. The poultry must be tested for Newcastle disease during the two weeks immediately before they are dispatched.
• An official veterinarian must carry out a document check of the health and production records kept at the establishment, an identity check of the animals in the consignment and a clinical inspection of the flock of origin during the last 48 hours before dispatch from the establishment of origin.

There are more rules when you are going to bring in poultry for slaughter:

• The poultry shall be kept in a registered establishment after hatching for at least 21 days before they are dispatched.
• The poultry must not be vaccinated against highly pathogenic avian influenza.
• The poultry must come from flocks that have been tested for Salmonella, Mycoplasma and Newcastle disease within 21 days before loading and according to special rules before they are dispatched.
• An official veterinarian must carry out a document check of the health and production records kept at the establishment, an identity check of the animals in the consignment and a clinical inspection of the herd of origin during the last 5 days before dispatch from the establishment of origin.
  

There are more rules when you intend to bring in day-old chickens:

• The chickens must come from an approved hatching establishment.
• The flock from which the day-old chicks originate must be isolated for a period of 15 days prior to dispatch.
• The chickens shall have been hatched from eggs that comply with the requirements for hatching eggs which you can read under the heading Eggs for hatching from poultry.
• The chickens shall have been hatched from eggs which come from flocks controlled by an official veterinarian.
• The chickens must come from flocks that have been tested for Salmonella, Mycoplasma and Newcastle disease within 21 days before loading and according to special rules before they are dispatched
• Day-old chickens may not be vaccinated against Newcastle disease as Sweden does not vaccinate against this disease. They shall have been hatched from flocks with are either not vaccinated or have been vaccinated with an inactive vaccine against Newcastle disease. If the flock has been vaccinated with a live vaccine, it shall have been vaccinated at least 30 days before collection of the eggs. They may not either come in to contact with hatching eggs which do not comply with these requirements.
• An official veterinarian must carry out a document check of the health and production records kept at the establishment, an identity check of the animals in the consignment and a clinical inspection of the herd of origin during the last 24 hours before dispatch from the establishment of origin.

The rules are simpler when you bring in less than 20 poultry. The simpler rules apply for all species except ostriches. The rules for ostriches are the same regardless of how many ostriches you are going to bring into Sweden.

When you are going to take in fewer than 20 poultry, they shall comply with these rules:

• The poultry shall have been kept in a registered establishment since hatching or for at least 21 days before they are dispatched.
• If the animals come from a flock which is covered by the monitoring programme for low pathogenic avian influenza, there must not have been any confirmed cases of infection during the last three weeks before they are dispatched.
• The poultry must not have been in contact with newly stocked poultry during the last 21 days before being dispatched. They may only have had contact with birds subject to the same animal health rules. This means, for example, that when poultry have been tested for certain diseases, they may only come in contact with poultry that has been tested for the same diseases.
• Ducks and geese shall have been tested for highly pathogenic avian influenza. This is not needed, however, if they are going to be dispatched directly for slaughter.
• Poultry shall come from flocks which have tested negatively for Salmonella and Mycoplasma within 21 days before loading according to special rules.
• An official veterinarian must carry out a document check of the health and production records kept at the establishment, an identity check of the animals in the consignment and a clinical inspection of the herd of origin during the last 48 hours before dispatch from the establishment of origin.

The rule that poultry may not be vaccinated against Newcastle disease applies regardless of how many poultry you bring in.

There are more rules when you are going to bring in hatching eggs:

• The hatching eggs must come from an approved establishment.
• The hatching eggs must come from flocks that have been kept in one or more approved establishments since hatching or for at least six weeks before the collection of the eggs.
• The hatching eggs must come from flocks that have tested negatively for Salmonella and Mycoplasma in accordance with special rules.
• The hatching eggs must be labelled with the approval number of the original flock’s establishment.
• The hatching eggs must have been disinfected.
• The hatching eggs must come from flocks which are either not vaccinated or have been vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine against Newcastle disease. If the flock has been vaccinated with a live vaccine, it shall have been vaccinated at least 30 days before collection of the eggs.
• An official veterinarian must carry out a health check on the flock of origin during the last 31 days prior to dispatch of the hatching eggs from the establishment of origin.
• An official veterinarian must carry out a document check of the health and production records kept at the establishment, an identity check of the animals in the consignment and a clinical inspection of the herd of origin during the last 72 hours before dispatch from the establishment of origin.

The rules are simpler when you bring in fewer than 20 hatching eggs. The simpler rules apply for all species except for hatching eggs from ostriches. The rules for hatching eggs from ostriches are the same regardless of how many hatching eggs you are intending to bring into Sweden.

When you are intending to bring in fewer than 20 hatching eggs, the following rules apply:

• The hatching eggs must come from a registered establishment.
• The hatching eggs must come from flocks that have been held in a registered establishment since hatching or for at least at least 21 days before collection of the eggs.
• The hatching eggs must come from flocks that have tested negatively for Salmonella and Mycoplasma within 21 days before loading in accordance with special rules.
• The hatching eggs must come from flocks which are either not vaccinated or have been vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine against Newcastle disease. If the flock has been vaccinated with a live vaccine, it shall have been vaccinated at least 30 days before collection of the eggs.
• An official veterinarian must carry out a health check on the flock of origin during the last 31 days prior to dispatch of the hatching eggs from the establishment of origin.
• An official veterinarian must carry out a document check of the health and production records kept at the establishment, an identity check of the animals in the consignment and a clinical inspection of the herd of origin during the last 72 hours before dispatch from the establishment of origin.

Captive birds are birds that have been kept for other reasons than the poultry which have been raised or confined for breeding, meat or egg production or for stocking. These may be those that are kept for shows and competitions or for raising and sale.

There are a number of rules when you are intending to bring in captive birds:

• The birds shall have been kept at a registered establishment since hatching or for at least 21 days before they are dispatched.
• If the birds have been taken to an EU Member State from a country outside the EU, they shall have been in quarantine at an approved establishment before coming to Sweden.
• Pigeons shall have been vaccinated against Newcastle disease and must come from an establishment where they vaccinate their pigeons.
• Captive hens must not have been vaccinated against Newcastle disease when they are to be brought into Sweden. They must have been kept isolated for two weeks before being dispatched in accordance with special rules. The animals shall have been tested for Newcastle disease for two weeks before being dispatched.
• Parrots must also come from a facility where avian chlamydiosis has not been confirmed in the last 60 days prior to shipment.
• Parrots must be identifiable by an approved ring tag, chip or tattoo.
• An official veterinarian must carry out a document check of the health and production records kept at the establishment, an identity check of the animals in the consignment and a clinical inspection of the herd of origin during the last 48 hours before dispatch from the establishment of origin.
  

Captive birds for shows

When you bring in captive birds for shows, there is no longer any requirement to apply to the Swedish Agricultural Board for an import permit. However, you need a health certificate instead.

When you bring in captive birds which are to partake in a show, the same rules apply as to other captive birds.

In addition, the person responsible for the show must ensure that this is done:

• All birds participating in the show must be registered to participate in advance.
• All birds participating in the show must be subject to the same animal health rules, if the birds come from the country in which the show takes place. If this is not possible, the birds from the country in which the show takes place shall be kept in separate premises, so that they do not come into contact with birds from other countries.
• A veterinarian shall verify the identity of the birds before they may enter the show.
• A veterinarian shall monitor the condition of the birds when they arrive at the show and during the duration of the show.

It is not necessary to obtain a new animal health certificate before your birds travel home from the show. When the birds are to be moved back to the country from which they came, the veterinarian at the show can certify that the health status of the birds has not been compromised during the show. This certificate must be attached to the animal health certificate which was written before the birds left their home country. A requirement is that the journey home is completed within the period of validity of the animal health certificate.

A number of rules apply when you are bringing in hatching eggs from captive birds:

• The hatching eggs must come from a registered establishment.
• The hatching eggs must come from flocks that have been kept at a registered establishment.
• The hatching eggs shall come from flocks that are not vaccinated or have been vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine for Newcastle disease. If the flock has been vaccinated with a live vaccine, it shall have been vaccinated at least 30 days before collection of the eggs.
• An official veterinarian must carry out a document check of the health and production records kept at the establishment, an identity check of the animals in the consignment and a clinical inspection of the herd of origin during the last 48 hours before dispatch from the establishment of origin.

When you are transporting pigeons to another EU Member State, in order to release the pigeons there and let them fly home, this applies:

• Pigeons shall have been vaccinated against Newcastle disease and must come from an establishment where they vaccinate their pigeons.
• When you bring in racing pigeons for sporting events, there is no longer any requirement to apply to the Swedish Agricultural Board for an import permit. However, you need self-declaration instead.
• The person who is responsible for the pigeons in the country from which they come must produce a self-declaration, stating that the pigeons meet all the requirements. Each country shall have a template for the self-declaration, which must be used. The self-declaration must accompany the animals when they travel. There does not have to be a health certificate written by a veterinarian.
• If the pigeons have been taken to an EU Member State from a country outside the EU, they shall have been in quarantine at an approved establishment before coming to Sweden.