Turkey breeders back measures to help halt Avian Flu spread

An enclosure order issued by Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue which came into force yesterday (Monday) means that all turkeys and chickens must be housed indoors at all times.

The precautionary measure has been introduced in a bid to prevent avian flu spreading to the commerical flock here.

For poultry farms like Hogans Turkeys at Faughan Hill, Bohermeen, it means that their 5,000 free range turkeys must now be kept indoors at all times.

Fintan Hogan of Hogans Turkeys said he was supportive of the measure and they did not want to see what happened in the UK happen here.

"The bigger companies have been pushing for it because of the threat of Avian flu. We don't want to see what happened in England happen here, where five million birds had to be culled."

The measure means birds that had been outdoors up to this must now be housed indoors at all times.

"It means all free range turkeys from today (Monday) are to be kept indoors. Our Woodland turkeys were outdoors all the time. They are now about 18-19 weeks of age and have been outdoors for 10-12 weeks already. We have put them in but they are in an airy house which we have made crow proof with netting and wire so it is still fairly open.

"We have another batch of free range turkeys that were out during the day but kept inside at night and they are all indoors now."

Between both batches, it affects about 5,000 turkeys altogether. Hogans rears up to 30,000 turkeys for the Christmas market each year between free range and commerical turkeys. In total, they process between 70,000 to 80,000 turkeys for the Christmas market.

Fintan explained that the turkeys will still be considered free range as they were outdoors up to this and they also have to comply with regulations around space indoors to be deemed free range. He added that a similar order was also made last year but a week later.

Minister McConalogue introduced the regulations under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 requiring flock keepers to confine all poultry and captive birds in their possession or under their control in a secure building to which wild birds, or other animals do not have access.

This measure is being taken against a background of the confirmation of disease in wild birds along the coast since July, increasing risk levels due to colder temperatures and shorter daylight hours as well as recent confirmation of disease in a wild bird inland.

In addition, two outbreaks of HPAI H5N1 have been reported in captive bird flocks in coastal areas of counties Dublin and Wicklow where HPAI H5N1 had been confirmed previously in wild birds.

These findings highlight an increasing risk to all poultry flocks and captive birds and by extension the poultry industry. Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza have also been identified in poultry flocks in Great Britain and a number of other European countries in recent weeks.

It is important to note that there is no evidence of risk to humans associated with consumption of poultry or poultry products. Properly cooked poultry products, including meat and eggs are safe to eat.