Bird flu outbreak hits major UK egg producer in Shropshire

One of the UK’s largest egg processors has been hit by bird flu, with all poultry set to be “humanely culled”.

Griffiths Family Farms, part of Oaklands Farm Eggs near Wem in Shropshire has found cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or H5N1.

Employing 220 staff, the business packs more than one billion eggs per year with an annual turnover of £75m. With more than two million hens, the farm has begun to convert to ‘cage-free’ with 500,000 hens. A further one million are contracted free-range birds.

The British Free-Range Egg Association (BFREPA) said the site processes around half of the UK’s barn egg production.

Elwyn Griffiths said in a statement on behalf of the family: “This is obviously devastating news for the business and the Griffiths family personally. We will now work as quickly as possible to ensure the welfare of hens on the rest of the site and also to ensure the wellbeing of farm staff who are caring for the hens on the ground.

“We are now in the hands of government officials at APHA who will outline the next steps which we will be required to take”.

The government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) said: “All poultry on the premises will be humanely culled. A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been declared around the premises. Although the premises is in England, part of the surveillance zone extends into the Wrexham local authority area of Wales”.

Gary Ford, head of strategy and producer engagement at BFREPA said: “The outbreak at arguably the country’s biggest laying sites was devastating – especially for the Griffiths family, but also for so many associated businesses, including feed suppliers, pullet rearers, end of lay hen processors, and hauliers.

“Our thoughts are with the Griffiths family and their staff. For the wider industry this will have long-term consequences.

“The site at Wem processes about half the UK’s barn egg production. It will have a very significant impact.”

“Bird keepers must continue to remain alert for signs of the disease, exercise stringent biosecurity measures at all times, and report any suspected cases of avian influenza or other notifiable diseases to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.”

In a statement issued on behalf of the Griffiths family, Elwyn Griffiths acknowledged the APHA detection of bird flu at the Wem farm following testing, although he did not provide any details on the numbers of birds involved in the cull.

“This is obviously devastating news for the business and the Griffiths family personally,” he said.