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<\/p>\nAbout 2,000 birds have died and thousands more are to be euthanised at a large poultry farm which has been impacted by bird flu.<\/p>\n
The Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed the disease was found at a commercial facility near Belford, in north Northumberland.<\/p>\n
It declared a 1.9 mile (3km) protection zone and 6.2 mile (10km) surveillance zone around the premises. The latter includes the Farne Islands, which are famous for their marine bird life.<\/p>\n
Northumberland County Councillor Guy Renner-Thompson said 29,000 birds would have to be culled at the farm where the outbreak was identified.<\/p>\n
“It’s terribly sad for the family whose farm it is,” he said.<\/p>\n
He said “luckily” no other poultry farms were within the protection zone.<\/p>\n
However, he said he remained concerned about the potential financial impact on other farms in the area, especially those with turkeys immediately before Christmas.<\/p>\n
“If bird flu gets into those, that’s ruined them for the year – because that’s their main money-making part of the year.”<\/p>\n
While bird flu does not affect humans, the Conservative councillor warned people should be vigilant and neither touch, nor let their dogs touch, dead birds.<\/p>\n
He said local people should alert Defra if they find a dead bird, and advised anyone who keeps chickens or birds to keep them indoors.<\/p>\n
He said the last time there was a “bird flu lockdown” on the Farne Islands, there were “people with white coats shovelling dead birds off the island”.<\/p>\n
“We really don’t want a repeat of that.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The NFU’s Northern Chairman said the outbreak was awful for all those involved [BBC]<\/p>\n
William Maughan, the National Farming Union’s (NFU) Northern Chairman, said: “First of all, it’s the human impact – it’s awful for the people involved.<\/p>\n
“But it also has a great impact on the stock, on the hens themselves.<\/p>\n
“A lot of them die, and unfortunately the cull is part of the management strategy around that.<\/p>\n
“Defra should be involved, very early on,” he added.<\/p>\n
“If you start to spot any issues, get in touch with a vet, then the ministry – the government vets get involved, they would come along and try to identify the disease.<\/p>\n
“Once that is confirmed, there will be a cull on the site, and full disinfection of the site, to make sure the risk of passing it on elsewhere is minimised.”<\/p>\n
NFU’s Northumberland Poultry Board chair, Will Raw, said the local case, which was the first one of the season in England, but it was a reminder that the disease “remains ever-present”.<\/p>\n
He urged poultry keepers to be vigilant and “maintain the highest standards of biosecurity”.<\/p>\n
“The NFU will continue to work closely with government and the wider supply chain to monitor the situation and support British poultry producers through the challenges posed by this disease.<\/p>\n
“This involves both immediate support for those affected, as well as longer term strategic change, such as the government’s vaccination policy.”<\/p>\n
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