Farmers face waiting game over bird flu fears (From Gazette & Herald)

Farmers face waiting game over bird flu fears

RYEDALE poultry farmers facing the threat of bird flu say they are playing a waiting game to see what effect the disease will have.

Aside from the spread of the disease, the effect on market demand for chicken is uppermost in their minds now that avian flu has reached France.

"People are going to be put off chicken," said Paul Stephens, who keeps 170,000 broiler chickens bred for meat inside five environmentally controlled sheds between Sherburn and Helperthorpe. "It may be in ignorance but it is their choice, and that's going to be our biggest worry."

He added: "The actual virus itself we can do quite a lot to protect ourselves. We already have good bio-security."

No one is allowed onto the site unless it's necessary and the firm even has its own feed delivery wagons, so no other vehicles have to visit.

Mr Stephens is disappointed by the Government's stance on vaccination, which it says would be ineffective in preventing the disease spreading.

"I'm a big believer in vaccination," he said. "We vaccinate against other viruses, as do organic farmers and all sorts of farmers, and it works, just like it works with human beings. We've avoided lots of very unpleasant diseases through vaccinating our children, and I can't see what's wrong with it.

"The Government refused to use it in the foot and mouth crisis, and when it was all over they said they may consider using it in future. They'd rather kill animals than protect them and that goes against a farmer's mentality."

Eighty-three-year-old Richard Todd runs a smallholding in Ampleforth with his son Jeffrey. They keep up to 4,000 geese, ducks and hens and run a hatchery. He fears the business would fold if the disease reached the UK.

"I can't do anything about it until it actually lands, if it does," he said. "Defra will come and tell us what to do and it will be as simple as that."

His birds are free range, and would have put into covered buildings if the flu hit. "We have plenty of buildings, what I'm worried about is the effect on trade," he said. "I suppose we'll just have to wait and see what happens and if it comes and Defra kills all the stock we'll have to find something new to do. But we've had bad times before."

Meanwhile, the York headquarters of the National Farmers' Union where spokeswoman Rachael Gilbanks was warning farmers to tighten bio-security.

"We are advising farmers to use foot baths and disinfectant for themselves and their visitors and to have dedicated clothing for different poultry sheds among other things," she said.

In addition, said Ms Gilbanks, farmers should restrict the number of people going on to their premises and to keep a record of who has been.

"We are saying they must step up safeguards."

One of the key pieces of advice is not to attract wild birds on to their farms especially by leaving spilt seed or food around.

"It should be cleaned up to avoid attracting birds or foxes."

Bird flu was not air-borne, but was spread by birds and animals, said Ms Gilbanks. Faeces which were not cleaned up were also a hazard.

"Three years ago, there was an outbreak in Holland but it failed to jump across the North Sea to England.

"Our status is still officially recognised as 'low'," she added.

The biggest problem where bird flu had broken out overseas was caused by people living in close proximity to their poultry.

Updated: 15:33 Wednesday, February 22, 2006