Fears have been raised over this year's Christmas dinners amid a new bird flu outbreak.
More than half of all farm geese destined for dinner tables this Christmas have been culled after another outbreak of bird flu, it emerged today. Government vets confirmed the outbreak at a farm in Breckland, Norfolk, the county's fourth case in the last week.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said all 12,000 geese at the farm will be humanely culled. A 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone were put in place around the premises, it added.
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It comes after the farmers union warned the ‘worst bird flu outbreak in UK history’ posed a threat to the supplies of Christmas turkey and Goose sales. Norfolk, which is home to around 90% of the country's Christmas geese, has been hit particularly hard with 15 cases confirmed.
The culling at the farm follows a major outbreak at three other geese farms in the county. Poultry auctioneer Fabian Eagle told a local newspaper: "That is the last of the four big flocks of geese gone.
"On a conservative estimate you could probably say that over half of the UK's Christmas geese have now been culled. It is unlikely you will see an English goose in the supermarkets this Christmas, but if you normally get it from your local village supplier make sure you have confirmed your order."
More than 160 cases have been confirmed across the country and a staggering 3.2 million birds were culled. The previous record in 2020/21 was 26.
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