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| More culls in bird flu outbreak | More culls in bird flu outbreak |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| About 22,000 turkeys on four premises are being culled as a precaution, after the virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu was found in turkeys on a Suffolk farm. | About 22,000 turkeys on four premises are being culled as a precaution, after the virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu was found in turkeys on a Suffolk farm. |
| Officials said it was not yet known if the birds had contracted the virus. | Officials said it was not yet known if the birds had contracted the virus. |
| A cull of 6,500 birds is also nearing completion at Redgrave Park farm, near Diss, where the infection was discovered on Sunday. | |
| Gressingham Foods' subsidiary Redgrave Poultry, which runs all five sites, said they shared the same farm staff. | Gressingham Foods' subsidiary Redgrave Poultry, which runs all five sites, said they shared the same farm staff. |
| A "direct link" had thus been established between them, it said. | A "direct link" had thus been established between them, it said. |
| A 3km (1.9 mile) protection zone and a 10km (6.2 mile) surveillance zone, where movement of birds is restricted and poultry must be isolated from wild birds, is in place around Redgrave Park. | A 3km (1.9 mile) protection zone and a 10km (6.2 mile) surveillance zone, where movement of birds is restricted and poultry must be isolated from wild birds, is in place around Redgrave Park. |
| This is a precautionary measure taken to prevent any potential spread of the disease Fred LandegActing chief vet Profile: Fred Landeg | This is a precautionary measure taken to prevent any potential spread of the disease Fred LandegActing chief vet Profile: Fred Landeg |
| One of the four sites is within the protection zone and the other three lie within the wider restricted zone, covering much of Suffolk and Norfolk, which also restricts murders. | |
| The sites are: Stone House Farm, in West Harling, and Bridge Farm, in Pulham, both in Norfolk, and Grove Farm, Botesdale, and Hill Meadow, Knetishall, both in Suffolk. | |
| Geoffrey Buchanan, operations director, said: "While naturally saddened to see so many birds culled, we fully agree that the primary concern has to be the containment of the outbreak." | Geoffrey Buchanan, operations director, said: "While naturally saddened to see so many birds culled, we fully agree that the primary concern has to be the containment of the outbreak." |
| Officials had been investigating any "dangerous contact" between the farm and other flocks in the area, either through human, wild bird or poultry movement. | Officials had been investigating any "dangerous contact" between the farm and other flocks in the area, either through human, wild bird or poultry movement. |
| Map of surveillance zone | Map of surveillance zone |
| Acting chief vet Fred Landeg said: "At this stage we have not confirmed disease on any of these four premises. | Acting chief vet Fred Landeg said: "At this stage we have not confirmed disease on any of these four premises. |
| "This is a precautionary measure taken to prevent any potential spread of the disease." | "This is a precautionary measure taken to prevent any potential spread of the disease." |
| Vigilance urged | |
| He urged poultry keepers in the area to be "extremely vigilant" for signs of the virus and to practice the "highest levels of bio-security". | He urged poultry keepers in the area to be "extremely vigilant" for signs of the virus and to practice the "highest levels of bio-security". |
| The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said there were more than four million registered poultry within the surveillance zone, with a further 25 million within the restricted zone. | The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said there were more than four million registered poultry within the surveillance zone, with a further 25 million within the restricted zone. |
| BIRD FLU ZONES Protection zone: 3km (1.9 mile) around the affected site. All movement of birds is bannedSurveillance zone: 10km (6.2 mile) around the infected farm. Currently the same rules as the protection zoneRestricted zone: Covers Suffolk and most of Norfolk. Birds cannot leave the area and must be separated from wild birds, such as being kept inside Source: Defra Farmers' worries Quick guide to bird flu | BIRD FLU ZONES Protection zone: 3km (1.9 mile) around the affected site. All movement of birds is bannedSurveillance zone: 10km (6.2 mile) around the infected farm. Currently the same rules as the protection zoneRestricted zone: Covers Suffolk and most of Norfolk. Birds cannot leave the area and must be separated from wild birds, such as being kept inside Source: Defra Farmers' worries Quick guide to bird flu |
| Defra confirmed on Tuesday that the virus found in turkeys on Redgrave Park farm was the highly-contagious H5N1 strain. | Defra confirmed on Tuesday that the virus found in turkeys on Redgrave Park farm was the highly-contagious H5N1 strain. |
| The slaughter of about 5,000 turkeys, 1,000 ducks and 500 geese at the premises was close to completion on Wednesday evening. | |
| Mr Landeg said his department was keeping an "open mind" about how the virus reached the farm. | Mr Landeg said his department was keeping an "open mind" about how the virus reached the farm. |
| However, he said early indications were that it was related to outbreaks in the Czech Republic and Germany - which suggested a wild bird source. | However, he said early indications were that it was related to outbreaks in the Czech Republic and Germany - which suggested a wild bird source. |
| The affected birds were free-range - meaning they had access to the outdoors - and were located near a lake used by a number of wild fowl. | The affected birds were free-range - meaning they had access to the outdoors - and were located near a lake used by a number of wild fowl. |
| However, Redgrave Poultry said turkeys were prevented from accessing the lake by electrified fencing, empty ground and a farm road, and all feed and water was provided indoors in order to discourage wild fowl. | However, Redgrave Poultry said turkeys were prevented from accessing the lake by electrified fencing, empty ground and a farm road, and all feed and water was provided indoors in order to discourage wild fowl. |
| Christmas turkeys | Christmas turkeys |
| The news of the outbreak is the latest blow to farmers who are already dealing with bluetongue and foot-and-mouth disease. | The news of the outbreak is the latest blow to farmers who are already dealing with bluetongue and foot-and-mouth disease. |
| But the National Farmers' Union's poultry board chairman, Charles Bourns, said he did not think there was a danger of turkey shortages over the busy Christmas period. | But the National Farmers' Union's poultry board chairman, Charles Bourns, said he did not think there was a danger of turkey shortages over the busy Christmas period. |
| "This is a disease on the one farm, and I don't think it is going to get out and kill five million birds, most of which are indoors and should have no contact with wild birds," he said. | "This is a disease on the one farm, and I don't think it is going to get out and kill five million birds, most of which are indoors and should have no contact with wild birds," he said. |
| All the major supermarket chains say turkey supplies are so far unaffected. | All the major supermarket chains say turkey supplies are so far unaffected. |
| There was a H5N1 outbreak at a turkey farm, at Holton in Suffolk, in February. | There was a H5N1 outbreak at a turkey farm, at Holton in Suffolk, in February. |
| Although a report by Defra into that outbreak initially blamed wild birds, it later concluded the most likely source of infection was imported turkey meat from Hungary. | Although a report by Defra into that outbreak initially blamed wild birds, it later concluded the most likely source of infection was imported turkey meat from Hungary. |
| Redgrave Poultry said none of its birds was imported. | Redgrave Poultry said none of its birds was imported. |
| Return to top | Return to top |
Are you in this area? Are you a farmer who is concerned about the latest outbreak? Has your poultry 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 poultry been affected by bird flu? Send us your reactions. |