A commercial turkey flock in County Carlow has been hit by a bird flu outbreak.
The highly pathogenic avian influence (HPAI) HSN1 has been in circulation among wild birds during the past year with a captive bird flock in County Cork recently impacted.
Today, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon announced the latest confirmation which has seen the installation of a three kilometre protection zone as well as a ten kilometer surveillance zone around the local holding.
Minister Heydon says; “This outbreak is a reminder to us all of the importance of robust biosecurity. This is why I announced a biosecurity order that took effect last Saturday. Strict biosecurity is the best defence we have against the threat of avian influenza. Thankfully, the disease poses no food safety risk to consumers of well-cooked poultry products, including eggs.”
Though considered very contagious between birds, the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre and European Centre for Disease Control advise that the risk to public health from the strain of Avian Influenza that’s circulating is very low. But advice is for people to not handle sick or dead wild birds and to report any such findings to the Department’s avian check app.
Flock owners too are asked to watch out for signs of disease, to take any necessary measures and report any suspicion of disease to their local Regional Veterinary Office or, if outside business hours, to the National Disease Emergency Hotline on 01 4928026.
IFA Poultry Committee Chair and chicken farmer Nigel Sweetnam has been discussing the issue with KCLR News’ Edwina Grace;
