One of the UK's largest turkey producers has urged the government to consider vaccinations to tackle bird flu, as it 'may be the only way forward'.
Paul Kelly, owner of Kelly Bronze Turkeys, based near Chelmsford, Essex, said the disease was a 'major threat' to the poultry sector.
The government has confirmed 83 cases of highly-pathogenic avian influenza in England alone since late October 2021, the start of this year's bird flu season.
Defra Secretary George Eustice said in December that the UK was seeing its worst ever outbreak of avian influenza.
“Avian influenza is a big worry for all of us as it seems the virus is now endemic in the wild bird population and is with us for good,” Mr Kelly said.
"The authorities are trying to contain it exactly as the world tried to contain Covid. The difference is flocks can be slaughtered and the source eliminated.
“I feel it is getting to the stage where we must accept AI cannot be controlled and the financial losses are so big it could decimate the industry, as it has in parts of Europe."
The turkey producer said authorities must 'accept defeat' in trying to control the disease, and instead look at vaccinations. "The same decision that was made for Newcastle Disease in the 1970s," he added.
It comes as scientists at the Pirbright Institute are trialling a potential bird flu vaccine for commercial poultry production.
The vaccine, currently in the development stage, is said to provide rapid protection and could even reduce the virus's spread substantially.
Many existing vaccines only protect birds from serious illness and death, but do not prevent them from transmitting the virus, enabling the continued spread of disease through flocks.
But Pirbright's new vaccine generates a faster and stronger immune response in chickens against the H9N2 strain of bird flu, compared to the current industry standard inactivated virus vaccine.
Professor Munir Iqbal, head of the avian influenza virus group, said: “We have generated a powerful addition to the armoury of poultry vaccines.
"Our improved vaccine could help prevent the spread of flu amongst vaccinated birds, which is essential for protecting poultry welfare, increasing food production, and reducing the risk of avian influenza spreading to humans."
