The Poultry and Rabbits Section within the Fish & Farm Regulation & Control Division

The Poultry unit deals with the Broiler sector which deals mainly with the general control of the broiler meat industry, and the Egg sector which deals with the general control of laying hens, their husbandry and egg marking regulations. In Malta and Gozo all data is kept in the National Livestock Database, and there is full traceability of all poultry and poultry meat processed in local slaughtering plants. The poultry section regulates and enforces all relevant legislation; performs periodical farm inspections to ensure compliance with all legislation; and keeping updated records of all registered poultry farms.
The Rabbit breeding unit deals mainly with keeping an updated register of commercial rabbit breeders in Malta. Registration of rabbit breeders in Malta was initiated as a voluntary registration in 2003, and all commercial rabbit breeders are encouraged to register with this Division. This unit also supervise the importation of live rabbits in Malta, where it ensures that all breeding rabbits imported in Malta originate from countries free from notifiable diseases and that every consignment is accompanied by the necessary commercial documents.
Objectives of the Unit

• Registration and licensing of all poultry farms.
• Disease surveillance of all registered poultry farms.
• Registration and movement control of all poultry in the Maltese islands.
• Regulating and enforcement of all poultry and rabbit farms.
• Hygiene and welfare inspections of all poultry and rabbit farms.
• Keeping an updated database of all consignments of imported hatching eggs, and any further distribution of the hatched chickens.

Contact Person:

Mr Reuben Montebello
Telephone Number: 356 25905346/354
Email: