6. This Chapter applies in relation to any holding on which one or more breeding flocks of at least 250 domestic fowl of the species Gallus gallus are kept, and any reference in this Chapter to an occupier is a reference to an occupier of such a holding.
7.—(1) The occupier must notify the Welsh Ministers of the expected date of arrival at the holding of every breeding flock of at least 250 domestic fowl of the species Gallus gallus.
(2) The notification must be made at least two weeks before the expected date of arrival.
8.—(1) The occupier must notify the Welsh Ministers of the date that he or she expects each breeding flock on the holding to—
(a)move to the laying phase or laying unit; and
(b)reach the end of the production cycle.
(2) The notification must be made at least two weeks before the breeding flock is expected to move to the laying phase or laying unit.
9.—(1) The occupier must take samples from each breeding flock on the holding at the following times—
(a)when the birds in the flock are chicks;
(b)when the birds in the flock are four weeks old;
(c)two weeks before the date the flock is expected to come into lay or move to the laying phase or laying unit; and
(d)every second week during the laying period.
(2) Sampling under paragraph (1)(a) to (c) must be done in accordance with Schedule 2 to this Order and sampling under paragraph (1)(d) must be done in accordance with point 2.2.2.1 of the Annex to the Commission Regulation (routine sampling at the initiative of the operator).
10.—(1) The occupier must dispatch the samples taken under article 9 to an approved laboratory for the purposes of testing for the presence of salmonella.
(2) He or she must dispatch the samples within—
(a)24 hours of being taken; or
(b)48 hours of being taken if he places the samples in a refrigerator at a temperature of between 1° and 4° C as soon as practicable on the day they are taken.
(3) He or she must ensure that the samples are identified prior to dispatch so as to enable the approved laboratory to determine—
(a)the name of the occupier;
(b)the address of the holding on which the breeding flock from which the samples were taken are kept;
(c)the type of samples;
(d)the date on which the samples were taken;
(e)the identification of the breeding flock sampled;
(f)the age of the breeding flock sampled;
(g)whether the breeding flock from which the samples were taken is a flock of layer breeders or meat breeders; and
(h)the status in the breeding pyramid of the breeding flock from which the samples were taken.
11.—(1) The occupier must—
(a)keep a record of the information in Schedule 3, paragraph 1, in respect of each sample taken in accordance with article 9; and
(b)by 30 June and 31 December each year, notify the Welsh Ministers of that information in respect of sampling undertaken in the six months prior to notification.
(2) He or she must keep the record in paragraph (1)(a) for two years from the date the sample was taken.
12.—(1) The occupier must keep a record of the information in Schedule 3, paragraph 2, in respect of the movement to and from the holding of any domestic fowl of the species Gallus gallus or their chicks or eggs.
(2) He or she must keep the record for two years from the date of the movement.
13.—(1) The person in charge of an approved laboratory must ensure that the examination of samples submitted to it under article 10 begins within 48 hours of receipt of those samples.
(2) He or she must ensure that—
(a)the samples are prepared as follows—
(i)chick box liners must be prepared in accordance with Schedule 4 to this Order;
(ii)boot swabs' samples must be prepared in accordance with point 3.1.2 of the Annex to the Commission Regulation; and
(iii)any other samples of faeces must be prepared in accordance with point 3.1.3 of that Annex;
(b)the samples are tested for salmonella in accordance with the method in point 3.2 of that Annex; and
(c)the result of any test on any sample is reported in writing as soon as practicable to the occupier who submitted it.
14. No person may administer any antimicrobial to any bird in a breeding flock of domestic fowl of the species Gallus gallus as a specific method to control salmonella in breach of Article 2 of Commission Regulation 1177/2006 (use of antimicrobials).
15. No person may administer any live salmonella vaccine to any bird in a breeding flock of domestic fowl of the species Gallus gallus in breach of Article 3(1) of Commission Regulation 1177/2006 (use of vaccines).