The Disease-Riddled Death of the Christmas dinner

(image 1: turkey - credit: Ashish Sharma/Pexels)

The current avian flu epidemic could create huge turkey shortages this christmas, possibly placing farmers’ livelihoods in jeopardy.

Great Britain is currently facing its largest ever outbreak of avian (bird) flu resulting in a death toll of over 5 million birds that have succumbed to the disease or been killed to stop it spreading. Over 2 million birds have died in October 2022 alone, and the Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss has warned of “rapid escalation” in cases, on both “commercial farms and in backyard birds”. As a result, the government has ordered that all poultry in England must be kept indoors starting from the 7th of November.

(image 2: chicken - credit: Kirsten Bühne/Pexels)

This outbreak has led to rapid rises in costs for farmers, causing many to either cut down the size of their flocks or even abandon the poultry industry altogether. The British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA) which represents the majority of poultry farmers using organic or free range methods has warned of egg shortages further down the line.

Residents in east London have also been despairing after the recent death of a local rare black swan they had affectionately nicknamed ‘Bruce’, who died of avian flu. Whilst sad, the death of Bruce is a serious matter as it is evidence of bird flu spreading within London.

(image 3: black swan - credit: Dmitry Limonov/Pexels)

Berkshire farmer Tom Copas told the BBC the prospect of his flock of turkeys catching bird flu is “terrifying” and that he’s worried he’ll “lose everything”. The disease is transferred to poultry by wild birds, and spreads quickly through flocks living in farms, meaning farmers are at a great risk of losing lots of birds, and therefore lots of business, on which their livelihoods depend. Turkey farmers will be significantly affected, as they rely on people buying turkeys for their christmas dinners to make most of their money. Farmer Steve Childerhouse told the Guardian that the regular stock is “not going to be there”, and that “even the big people” are being dramatically affected, which could lead to up to a 20% decrease in turkeys in the freezers this christmas.

According to the NHS website, it is very rare for humans to be infected with bird flu, but if you spot any dead or sick birds, you are advised not to touch them, and to report them on the Defra helpline: 03459 33 55 77.