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Response to a new study on ticks, Borrelia bacteria and Lyme disease potential in relation to pheasant release pens

Dr Rufus Sage head of lowland game research and Dr Andrew Hoodless director GWCT research In the late 1990s GWCT worked with researchers at the University of Oxford to investigate the potential for pheasants to harbour Ixodes ricinus ticks and to contract and transmit from and to those ticks, var...

Disease monitoring in Red Grouse

New Mycoplasma Vaccine Shown to Reduce Impact of the Disease

Avian influenza risk levels increased as first case confirmed in poultry in England

All bird keepers are being urged to take action to protect their birds and remain vigilant and report signs of disease following an increase in risk levels and the first confirmed case in poultry this winter. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N5 has been confirmed in commercial poultry a...

Housing measures introduced to protect poultry and other captive birds

UK Chief Veterinary Officer puts in place mandatory housing for poultry in north, central and east of England Measures will take effect from 30 October 2025 and applies to keepers of more than 50 birds and any sellers of poultry products In response to increased findings of highly pathogenic av...

Optimising your pheasant release pens

By Alex Keeble, Central England Game & Wildlife Advisor Travelling across the country, I witness a variety of pheasant release pens in all shapes and sizes; from temporary top-netted pens releasing a hundred or so pheasant poults to larger, open-topped pens. Release pens should provide a saf...

What you need to know about capital grant changes

With Defra allocating £5 billion to farming and the environment over the next two years, here’s a breakdown of what’s changing and how it could impact you. Why these changes are happening According to Defra, demand for capital grants has soared this year. Between May and November, applications ro...

Grouse Monitoring Services

Crashes in grouse populations in recent years have highlighted the need to better understand grouse population dynamics and the factors that currently influence these dramatic declines. The GWCT has carried out red grouse population and disease monitoring since the 1980s, which has led to a wealt...

New avian influenza rules come into force in Wales

Welsh Government introduces compulsory housing measures for poultry and captive birds and additional biosecurity requirements for game birds in response to avian influenza The amended Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) came into force at midnight on Thursday 13 November. In a statement, Welsh...

Red grouse pair count results from Scotland: Visible effects of poor 2024 breeding season

By Felix Meister, D.Phil., Advisor Scotland In March and early April, GWCT staff commenced the 2025 red grouse monitoring season by carrying out pair counts across Scotland. Pair counts aim to determine the number of pairs going into the breeding season. The current monitoring regime extends over...