Avian flu alert stress for local turkey producers

With just six weeks until Christmas, the threat of avian influenza and subsequent mandatory housing order for all poultry is having a major impact on small turkey producers.

Apart from impacting on their unique selling point that turkeys spend most of their time outdoors, Barbara Tully of Grange Bective Farm explained that keeping birds housed round the clock also results in a significant increase in feed costs.

"We have a tillage farm and seven to eight years ago, we got into turkeys for Christmas. Every year, we rear 200-250 turkeys. The are outside all the time and we only house them at night. Other than that, they are outside and roam over a significant plot. We feed them our own grain and purchased feed as well," explained Barbara.

She said they are lucky as they have the sheds to house the birds and these sheds are significantly larger than the requirements for housing free range turkeys, so they have plenty of room. However, she stressed that the housing order is hugely significant as they would rather the turkeys be outside. “That is our selling point - that they spend so little time inside.”

"There is also a significant increase in costs. If they are housed 24 hours, there is a huge amount of extra cost for feed. If they are inside, they will eat more and can't be left without feed. When they are outside, they would eat a lot less as they are roaming about.”

Over the past week, Barbara said her phone has been hopping with customers making sure they could still get their turkeys. They started out selling at markets in Dun Laoghaire and Howth and these customers come back year after year to them for their turkeys.

"The way the industry has gone, it has got so commercial, we are quite unique. There are not many small producers. There are a very limited number of free range birds for sale. It is a harder product to find as there are so few people doing it. Ours are hand reared more than free range."

With a case of bird flu confirmed at Hogan’s Farm, Kells last week, it is a major worry for all turkey producers and poultry farmers in the county and farmers are doubling down their efforts as regards biosecurity.

"It is a concern," said Barbara. "When we heard of the cases at Fota Wildlife Park, I wasn't that concerned but the reality is it can hit anywhere. We are worried but all we can do is be vigilant and follow the guidelines."

Restriction zones have been established around the affected holding, comprising of a 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone in line with national and EU legislation.

A third outbreak has now been confirmed in Co Monaghan following the Kells discovery and the first confirmation of the disease in a flock in Co Carlow on Tuesday last.

A mandatory housing order for all poultry and captive birds came into effect from yesterday (Monday), 10th November.