Tens of thousands of birds being culled over suspected avian flu

The business affected is in County Tyrone

About 64,000 birds are being culled in County Tyrone after suspected avian flu was reported at a commercial poultry premises.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) was notified about the suspected case at a business in Dungannon on Friday.

Minister Andrew Muir said after further investigation appropriate disease control measures had been put in place, including the "humane culling of all poultry on site".

He said it was a "precautionary measure".

'Major disease breakout'

Daera veterinary officer Ignatius McKeown said the department was concerned as, if confirmed, it was "a major disease breakout in a highly concentrated poultry area of Northern Ireland."

The disease was first detected at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute in Belfast but further testing has to take place for confirmation.

Mr McKeown said the culling of 64,000 birds on the farm had already begun.

He confirmed there were no other farms affected.

"The Dungannon area has the main concentration of poultry in Northern Ireland," he said, adding that the poultry industry was very important in NI.

"The department will deal with it as quickly and efficiently as possible," he said.

If confirmed, it would be the first outbreak since December 2022 in a commercial farm.

The vet confirmed to BBC News NI that the cull was taking place at Killygarvin Farm Eggs.

Temporary control zones

64,000 birds are to be culled as a precautionary measure due to suspected avian flu

Chief veterinary officer for Northern Ireland, Brian Dooher, appealed to all bird owners, both "backyard and commercial", to take necessary steps to protect flocks.

"This includes ensuring continuous excellent levels of biosecurity and adhering to all the requirements mandated under the avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ)," he said.

"Samples from the infected premises have been sent to the National Reference Laboratory to confirm strain and pathogenicity. Should HPAI be officially confirmed, these TCZs will be revoked and replaced with a three kilometre protection zone (PZ) and 10 kilometre surveillance zone (SZ)," he added.

The Temporary Control Zone Area A is the part of County Tyrone within the red circle of radius

Last week Daera announced that all kept birds and poultry must stay indoors from Monday to mitigate against the potential spread of avian flu.

A similar order has been issued in the Republic of Ireland.

An avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) has applied across NI since 18 January.