The Minister for Agriculture, Meals and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has mentioned that he’s assured the provision of turkeys for Christmas won’t be impacted by avian influenza (hen flu).
The feedback come because the H5N1 pressure of the illness was confirmed in a turkey flock in Co. Monaghan yesterday (Sunday, November 11).
The three,800 birds on the farm situated in Clones, near the border with Co. Fermanagh, will probably be culled.
Restriction zones have additionally been put in place in a bid to forestall additional unfold of the illness.
Chatting with Agriland, Minister Charlie McConalogue mentioned that the outbreak is “very regarding” and would have a “actual influence” for the business poultry farm concerned, together with different farmers within the space.
Two weeks in the past, the minister put in place a housing order for all poultry flocks throughout the nation attributable to an elevated threat of unfold of the illness from the wild hen inhabitants into business flocks.
“That is an instance of what can occur and the rationale why these measures are in place and the rationale why everybody must be on prime alert within the time forward to forestall additional instances.”
The Division of Agriculture, Meals and the Marine (DAFM) operates a monetary compensation scheme for farmers impacted by an outbreak of hen flu.
The minister mentioned that the cost, which is “consultant of the worth of the birds”, is essential to help impacted farmers to “get again into enterprise once more”.
Chook flu
When requested about how assured he’s on containing the present outbreak in Co. Monaghan, the minister mentioned:
“There’s a threat the entire time in all components of the nation due to the truth that it’s within the wild hen inhabitants and migrating birds particularly.
“So there’s no assure that we gained’t see an additional outbreak, however by putting in and taking each biosecurity precaution that we will it provides us the very best likelihood of minimising and hopefully avoiding additional incidences.
“We did see quite a few instances final winter throughout the nation. We need to attempt to make sure that we completely in each approach minimise and stop instances from taking place this 12 months.
“However it’s one thing that everybody, and particularly poultry farmers, will probably be very alert to within the weeks forward.
“This can be a actually infectious pressure of avian flu however poultry farmers throughout the nation are very conscious of that and they’re very alert to how excessive the stakes are.”
Minister McConalogue additionally stood over the efforts of his division in relation to stopping the unfold of the illness in current months.
“I believe each step is being taken however it can be crucial that continues as a result of that is going to be a day by day problem now when it comes to guaranteeing that the chance of an infection is minimised,” he mentioned.
Christmas turkey
Minister McConalogue moved to reassure customers that the provision of turkeys for Christmas wouldn’t be impacted by this present outbreak.
“That is very small within the context of the nationwide provide so there’s no concern in that regard. With the precautions which might be in place I’m very assured that we gained’t have any concern round provide for Christmas.
“By farmers now taking each step that’s being suggested to them, I’m assured that we are going to minimise the influence of hen flu and make sure that the provision of turkeys, rooster and all poultry merchandise will probably be minimised,” he mentioned.
Though the H5N1 subtype may cause severe illness in poultry and different birds, the chance to people is taken into account to be very low.
“There isn’t any threat to human well being right here. Clearly, the usual recommendation all the time applies right here in relation to correctly cooking poultry merchandise,” the minister added.
