More than 10,000 turkeys will be culled at a farm in North Yorkshire following a bird flu outbreak.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said all 10,500 birds at the turkey-fattening site in North Allerton will be humanely culled to limit the spread of the disease, and a 3km and 10km temporary control zone has been put in place to stop the disease spreading.
It follows several outbreaks across the UK last month, including at a Herefordshire chicken farm on November 11, and cases among geese and swans in regions including Devon, Gloucestershire, Dorset, and Co Londonderry in Northern Ireland.
UK chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said “immediate steps” were taken to stop the disease from spreading when it was detected.
She added: “Bird keepers should remain alert for any signs of disease, report suspected disease immediately and ensure they are maintaining good biosecurity on their premises.”
A detailed investigation is in progress to determine the most likely source of the outbreak, but Defra said it does not anticipate any impact on the supplies of turkeys over Christmas.
Dr Middlemiss said England, Scotland and Wales were now an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ), meaning bird keepers will have to legally follow strict new measures.
This includes restricting access for non-essential people to units with more than 500 birds.
