The owner of a poultry farm has expressed concern about the supply of turkeys this Christmas. Billy Gray of Feighcullen Farm told Newstalk Breakfast that if more turkeys have to be culled because of avian flu, then demand may outstrip supply.
His business is resilient, he said, and there is some surplus, but he warned that if there are more cases of avian flu, supply could become an issue.
Mr Cullen said as a small producer he is worried by the outbreak and said there is no easy solution to eradicating avian flu.
Culling was the correct action morally and from a humane perspective, he said, but the best protection remained hygiene standards. Similar outbreaks elsewhere in Europe and in the UK will also have an impact on supply, he said.
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Infectious diseases consultant Dr Eoghan De Barra said there were very few known cases of transfer from bird to human and no human-to-human transfer to date.
There is a worry, he said, that there could be a “spill over” which could lead to a situation like the one experienced during Covid-19. The chances of that were “relatively low”, he said, as flu does not mutate as quickly as the coronavirus, he explained.
Dr De Barra said while culling was the correct approach for the moment, if it continued to spread then a vaccine may have to be developed.
The Department of Agriculture ordered the culling of thousands of turkeys on a Co Monaghan poultry farm over the weekend after test results showed evidence of avian flu in some of the flock.
A 3km “restriction zone” around the farm and a 10km “surveillance zone” will be enforced by Department of Agriculture officials in an effort to prevent further spread. Part of the radius will extend across the Border to Northern Ireland.
The move will heighten concern over the potential for further outbreaks in poultry farms in the run-up to Christmas.
Unlike restriction zones put in place for foot-and-mouth disease, the 3km zone in this case restricts farm-to-farm contact. There will elevated levels of testing in the area covered by the surveillance zone.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said his key focus is protecting the integrity of Ireland’s “world class poultry sector” and its farmers and growers.
“We are taking every possible proactive step and measure in attempt to protect the sector at what is a concerning time for everyone. We are working closely with our counterparts in Northern Ireland and both I, and my veterinary team in the Department, continue to engage with the industry here.”
A spokesman for Mr McConalogue added that the Government had moved quickly to put in place a housing order for poultry two weeks ago in order to minimise the risk of avian flu outbreaks.
Poultry farmers with flocks located within the restriction zones are legally obliged to comply with zone requirements, while agriculture authorities in Northern Ireland will enforce restrictions on their side of the Border.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (Health Protection Surveillance Centre), meanwhile, has said that although the strain of avian flu can cause serious disease in poultry, there is no evidence of a human health risk associated with consumption of poultry or eggs.
Despite this, the public has been advised not to handle sick or dead wild birds and to keep dogs on leashes in areas with sick or dead wild birds.
