The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has lifted the restriction notice placed on Joice and Hill Poultry Ltd.’s hatchery in Peterborough, following comprehensive testing for Salmonella.

It follows an outbreak of Group B Salmonella at the hatchery which led to the restrictions and raised some farmer concerns over chick supply to farms. The outbreak involved chicks that were hatched at the plant on 26 March after customer tray liner samples tested positive. The investigation was initiated following the detection of Salmonella typhimurium in hatcher basket liners confirmed on 13 April.

Thorough clean and disinfection

Joice & Hill halted all chick deliveries from 13 April and removed 2 weeks of production from its incubators to allow for a full clean and disinfection of the site. The work was carried out under veterinary supervision and completed on 20 April.

Sampling was then stepped up significantly, with 125 swabs taken by the company’s veterinary team followed by a further 300 samples collected by APHA officials. All 425 samples have since tested negative for Salmonella, including those analysed at the Weybridge laboratory. Further reassurance came from testing across all parent stock supply farms, which also returned negative results, supporting the hatchery findings.

Business as usual

With restrictions now lifted, the hatchery has resumed operations using eggs already in the system, although the company has warned that supply will take time to return to normal. Priority is being given to back orders and replacement chicks, with some customers likely to face short delays while the backlog is cleared.

Joice & Hill said no hatching eggs had been destroyed beyond those removed from incubation during the clean down period, and additional sampling will continue on all hatch days for the foreseeable future as a precaution.

Customers who received chicks since 26 March have been contacted directly and advised to maintain strict biosecurity and consult their veterinary advisers on any necessary next steps.

Managing director Nick Bailey described the situation as ‘unprecedented’ and apologised to customers affected by the disruption.