Fears for Christmas turkey supply this year

Turkeys at the East Ferry Farm, Midleton, Co Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan

Poultry farmers are working to ensure Irish turkeys make it to the fridges for Christmas as they try to minimise the risk of their flocks being affected by avian influenza.

Farmers have been ordered to house all poultry due to the risk of the disease.

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue has said that all poultry and captive birds in possession must be confined in a secure building to which wild birds or other animals do not have access. 

The regulations, which are being put in place as precautionary measures, will come into force on Monday.

The move comes amid fears of the spread of bird flu to poultry as a case was confirmed in a dead swan in Co Cavan this week. This follows two outbreaks reported in captive bird flocks in coastal areas in Dublin and Wicklow where HPAI H5N1 had been confirmed previously in wild birds.

The Department of Agriculture, along with industry, has warned these cases highlight the increased risk to the poultry industry.

Irish Farmers’ Association poultry chairman Nigel Sweetnam offered assurance that, at the moment, there is no great risk to the festive turkey supply — “but further down the line, it all depends” on how the spread of bird flu is curtailed.

He urged his fellow farmers to “follow the rules and take no shortcuts” in applying measures.

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The IFA’s concern was heightened as a result of the confirmed case inland in Co Cavan — as Mr Sweetnam estimates that around 75% of turkeys are produced in the Cavan/Monaghan region.

He said that scares like this also “emphasise the importance of food security”.

On the family-run turkey farm in East Cork, the Fitzsimmons family is heading into a very busy season in which they will supply thousands of turkeys to the market.

Based along the coast, Robert Fitzsimmons is always on high alert when it comes to bird flu.

He said he is taking all the necessary precautions to try to keep disease from affecting his flock — because the outcome could be disastrous otherwise.

If I were to get depopulated, my business would be gone — it’s a massive threat,” he said.

He added that a “lot of effort”, along with “stress” go into raising birds for months ahead of Christmas to “produce a quality product” for consumers.