The UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) today announced the country's first avian flu detection in a sheep, on a farm in Yorkshire where an outbreak had been confirmed in captive birds.

The world's first case of bird flu in sheep has been found in the UK, the nation's chief veterinary officer has confirmed. The exact location of the farm has not been revealed, but a government spokesperson said the case was identified on a site in Yorkshire where bird flu had been confirmed in captive birds.

Farmers’ leaders have called for calm after the first case of bird flu in sheep was confirmed in a backyard flock at a Yorkshire farm which had previously been hit by an outbreak in its poultry.