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Game: Animal Breeding

Asked by Adrian RamsayGreen PartyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 14 January 2026UIN 103632

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many game farms are operational in England and Wales; and how many of them are registered with the Poultry Register.

Answered by Dame Angela Eagle

There is no official definition of a game farm in the UK, and the England and Wales Kept Bird Register only details keepers of bird species that might be released for shooting. The following data was extracted from the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s database:

ENGLAND

WALES

Flock Size

Premises*

Birds

Premises*

Birds

0-49**

1,430

9,632

107

854

50-999

1,795

765,701

86

36,960

1,000-9,999

1,879

5,671,620

77

259,840

10,000-99,999

665

18,074,681

54

1,704,480

100,000

70

15,628,895

2

240,750

TOTAL

5,839

40,150,529

326

2,242,884

* Indicates the presence of at least one flock of pheasants, partridges or ducks reared for shooting were kept. It will also include ornamental species and keepers that buy in and rear birds.

** Flocks where no usual stock number has also been recorded.

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