UK: Leading turkey farmer calls for fast tracked bird flu vaccine

One of the UK's leading turkey producers has called for a bird flu vaccine to be fast tracked to help combat the growing threat of the disease. The call is part of a five-point strategy set out by Paul Kelly, managing director of Kelly Turkey Farms in Essex, in order to save the future of free range Christmas turkeys. Over 500,000 free range turkeys have been affected by the UK's bird flu crisis through infection or culling, with many farmers who supply this market reluctant to risk losing a flock next year. Mr Kelly, who also has a hatchery supplying day-old turkey poults to more than one third of these farmers, shares their concerns about the risks involved in producing free range poultry without firm assurance about its viability. "Most countries are now discussing vaccination as the only credible way forward. We have lost the war," he said. "We have the added disadvantage that we cannot lock down wild birds that are the primary source of infection. "Talking to people in the ...