Concerns over Christmas turkey stock as 3,000 birds culled in Monaghan

A flock of 3,000 turkeys will be culled today in Co Monaghan after the birds contracted the avian flu.

Restriction zones have been put in place to contain the spread of the virus as additional protection and surveillance measures take effect. This means that “any poultry keepers with flocks located within the restriction zones are legally obliged to comply with zone requirements,” according to the department’s update.

These Regulations require all flock keepers to implement enhanced biosecurity measures and to confine all poultry and captive birds in their possession or under their control in a secure building so that wild birds, or other animals do not have access. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has confirmed that although the H5N1 subtype can cause serious disease in poultry and other birds, the risk to humans is considered to be very low.

Despite this, members of the public are advised not to handle sick or dead wild birds and to keep their dog on a leash in areas with sick or dead wild birds. It is also important to note that there is no evidence of a human health risk associated with consumption of poultry meat, poultry meat products or eggs.

Concerns have since been raised over the effect this may have ahead of the Christmas season on the availability of turkeys, however, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue has said that every step is being taken to mitigate risks.

Farmers in the Cavan/Monaghan region, who produce up to 75% of Christmas turkeys for supermarkets and butchers, now face an anxious wait to see if more positive cases of bird flu will be confirmed.