A suspected bird flu case in Northern Ireland will result in 27,000 ducks being culled and a temporary control zone being set up in the area.
If the case is confirmed in Country Tyrone, a 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone will need to be put in place of the temporary control zone.
Northern Ireland’s chief vet Dr Robert Huey said the site of the suspected case of bird flu in Aughnacloy was a “very worrying development” as it would mean the cull of the entire breeding stock of a poultry operator.
Dr Huey warned the cull would take an emotional and financial toll on those who work on and run the farm.
“Although this is a commercial flock and there will be compensation for the birds that we cull, these are parent stock, which means they are of high generic merit,” he added.
“We’re taking out probably the entire breeding stock so that will take some time to recover and there won’t be compensation for that.”
The control zone was put in place on Thursday morning following provisional positive tests for bird flu.
Bird flu cases have already been confirmed in wild birds across Northern Ireland and in commercial flocks next to County Tyrone in County Monaghan.
LSL News.