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| Birds culled after flu outbreak | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A cull of thousands of birds is under way after bird flu was confirmed in turkeys on a Suffolk farm. | |
| The virus was discovered at Redgrave Park Farm near Diss, where all 6,500 birds are being slaughtered. | |
| Vets are carrying out further tests on the turkeys at the centre of the outbreak to try to determine if they have the virulent H5N1 strain. | |
| A 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone have been set up and the farm is co-operating with vets. | A 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone have been set up and the farm is co-operating with vets. |
| Officials said the outbreak was of the H5 strain, but it was yet not known if it was H5N1, which can be fatal to humans. | |
| Map of surveillance zone | Map of surveillance zone |
| Police officers are at the entrance to the farm, and vehicles are being sprayed with a jet hose. | Police officers are at the entrance to the farm, and vehicles are being sprayed with a jet hose. |
| A statement issued by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed preliminary tests showed the free-range turkeys at the farm had the H5 strain of bird flu. | A statement issued by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed preliminary tests showed the free-range turkeys at the farm had the H5 strain of bird flu. |
| Obviously this is another huge blow to the farming industry, which is still dealing with the effects of bluetongue and foot and mouth National Farmers' Union president Latest blow for farmers | Obviously this is another huge blow to the farming industry, which is still dealing with the effects of bluetongue and foot and mouth National Farmers' Union president Latest blow for farmers |
| Some 10% of birds in one shed had died during one night, it said, adding that further tests were needed to see if the virus was H5N1, which has killed some 200 people worldwide. | Some 10% of birds in one shed had died during one night, it said, adding that further tests were needed to see if the virus was H5N1, which has killed some 200 people worldwide. |
| At the affected premises, all birds - including approximately 5,000 turkeys, 1,000 ducks and 500 geese - will be slaughtered within the next few hours. | At the affected premises, all birds - including approximately 5,000 turkeys, 1,000 ducks and 500 geese - will be slaughtered within the next few hours. |
| It is expected that all the birds will be gassed and then put in sealed containers. | It is expected that all the birds will be gassed and then put in sealed containers. |
| Officials said further surveillance work was ongoing in the area before decisions were made on any culls on neighbouring farms. | Officials said further surveillance work was ongoing in the area before decisions were made on any culls on neighbouring farms. |
| Redgrave Poultry, which rents the farm, said that all employees at the site had been given antiviral drugs as a precaution and that the birds on the site had been moved indoors. | Redgrave Poultry, which rents the farm, said that all employees at the site had been given antiviral drugs as a precaution and that the birds on the site had been moved indoors. |
| Reading out a statement, William Buchanan, one of the farm directors, said staff were "fully" co-operating with Defra. | Reading out a statement, William Buchanan, one of the farm directors, said staff were "fully" co-operating with Defra. |
| He added: "Sixty turkeys out of a flock of 1,000 from one house on the site were found dead. The site was immediately isolated and additional bio-security measures imposed." | He added: "Sixty turkeys out of a flock of 1,000 from one house on the site were found dead. The site was immediately isolated and additional bio-security measures imposed." |
| 'Huge blow' | 'Huge blow' |
| Inside the protection and surveillance zones, bird movements are being restricted and all birds housed or isolated from contact with wild birds. | Inside the protection and surveillance zones, bird movements are being restricted and all birds housed or isolated from contact with wild birds. |
| All poultry keepers on the British poultry register are also being notified about the outbreak and EU officials have been informed. | All poultry keepers on the British poultry register are also being notified about the outbreak and EU officials have been informed. |
| The farm's directors said they were co-operating with Defra | The farm's directors said they were co-operating with Defra |
| National Farmers' Union president Peter Kendall said the discovery of bird flu was bad news for livestock owners. | National Farmers' Union president Peter Kendall said the discovery of bird flu was bad news for livestock owners. |
| "Obviously this is another huge blow to the farming industry, which is still dealing with the effects of bluetongue and foot-and-mouth." | "Obviously this is another huge blow to the farming industry, which is still dealing with the effects of bluetongue and foot-and-mouth." |
| Acting Chief Veterinary Officer Fred Landeg told BBC News the disease was discovered on Sunday by a vet, who noticed that there had been an increasing number of deaths among turkeys in one of the five sheds on the farm. | Acting Chief Veterinary Officer Fred Landeg told BBC News the disease was discovered on Sunday by a vet, who noticed that there had been an increasing number of deaths among turkeys in one of the five sheds on the farm. |
| He said that the risk of bird flu spreading was increased during the autumn months because of wild bird migration. | He said that the risk of bird flu spreading was increased during the autumn months because of wild bird migration. |
| Mr Landeg confirmed the affected birds were free-range - meaning they had access to the outdoors and may have been of greater risk of catching the disease. | Mr Landeg confirmed the affected birds were free-range - meaning they had access to the outdoors and may have been of greater risk of catching the disease. |
| Small proportion | Small proportion |
| A statement released on behalf of poultry producer Bernard Matthews said the affected farm was not owned by the company, and none of the firm's farms fell within the exclusion zone. | A statement released on behalf of poultry producer Bernard Matthews said the affected farm was not owned by the company, and none of the firm's farms fell within the exclusion zone. |
| More than 160,000 birds were killed after an outbreak of the virulent H5N1 strain of the disease at a Bernard Matthews turkey farm in Suffolk in February. | More than 160,000 birds were killed after an outbreak of the virulent H5N1 strain of the disease at a Bernard Matthews turkey farm in Suffolk in February. |
| Consumer confidence is a big concern for the poultry industry, and the Food Standards Agency reassured customers that there was no threat to human health so long as eggs and poultry were properly cooked. | Consumer confidence is a big concern for the poultry industry, and the Food Standards Agency reassured customers that there was no threat to human health so long as eggs and poultry were properly cooked. |
| And National Farmers' Union poultry board chairman Charles Bourns insisted that turkey supply over Christmas would not be affected. | And National Farmers' Union poultry board chairman Charles Bourns insisted that turkey supply over Christmas would not be affected. |
| He added that the cull accounted for only a small proportion of the 10 million festive turkeys sold each year. | He added that the cull accounted for only a small proportion of the 10 million festive turkeys sold each year. |
| Return to top | Return to top |
Are you in this area? Are you a farmer who is concerned about the latest outbreak? Has your livestock been affected by bird flu? Send us your reactions. | Are you in this area? Are you a farmer who is concerned about the latest outbreak? Has your livestock been affected by bird flu? Send us your reactions. |