Turkey farmers are hoping for a better festive season this year after a drop in cases of a virulent strain of bird flu that caused culls and shortages last year. Figures show 16 new outbreaks of bird flu have been reported since August in the UK, compared to nearly 90 during the same period last year.
Farmers were hit hard last winter by bird flu deaths and culls, which left a shortage of free-range turkeys. However, scientists have discovered a sign of immunity in wild birds that had previously spread the virus. In addition, the scientists found that the virus can only travel short distances in the air, meaning it is unlikely to travel between farms.
Tom Copas, a Berkshire farmer, said the industry had upped its biosecurity measures, was much better prepared than last year, and called for a vaccine to be introduced to provide better protection from the highly contagious virus. Copas, who farms up to 60,000 free-range Christmas turkeys, added that “looking at where bird flu is across the world, you need a vaccine in place, realistically, to give confidence to businesses to continue to take the risk of putting birds on the ground. We need that as an industry.”
Last year, a national housing order saw free-range birds brought indoors. Essex turkey farmer Paul Kelly, who lost around 30% of his turkeys last year because of bird flu, believes this year’s lower number of outbreaks could be the “lull before the storm.” He said the true situation will not be known until winter’s cold, damp conditions arrive.
Meanwhile, the British Poultry Council said it was too early to say whether there would be fewer cases during the rest of the winter, but it did not envisage a Christmas turkey shortage this year
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