Farm set to get the all-clear after bird flu alert false alarm

A FARM at the centre of a bird flu scare is set to be given the all-clear after initial tests on diseased poultry came back negative.

It is not known what affected the birds at Easter Norton Farm, near Newbridge, but Government experts do not now believe it is an infectious disease.

A major alert was declared after random tests, carried out by the farm, found "abnormalities" in some of its 15,000-plus chickens on Wednesday.

The discovery led to an immediate shutdown of production, and experts from the Scottish Government and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) were called in to carry out further tests.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said today: "All the tests so far have come back as negative."

She expected that the final test results would be available on Monday, and restrictions on the farm would remain in place until then.

Legal notices were erected yesterday at the gates of the farm – situated just off the A8 near Edinburgh Airport – warning against entry without permission and ordering the wheels of all vehicles that were allowed in to be thoroughly washed with disinfectant.

Fears that it might be the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, which has killed 24 people worldwide, were quickly dismissed. The H5N1 strain would have immediately resulted in large numbers of deaths among poultry on the farm.

However, concerns persisted that it could be a less harmful strain, which would lead to major restrictions and culls. This would have been hugely damaging for the farm, its customers and suppliers, as well as other farms and businesses in the area.

Easter Norton Farm is owned by William Pollock, and has been in the family since 1911. It is currently contracted by Aviagen, an international egg-supplying company, to look after its poultry.

The farm is fairly isolated, surrounded by fields and with no other buildings for about a quarter of a mile.

There are two large chicken sheds in the grounds where the poultry is kept.

An Aviagen spokesman said yesterday: "I can confirm routine tests on Wednesday indicated the possibility of an infection in a flock at one of our Scottish contract farms. The appropriate authorities were immediately informed and additional samples for analysis were sent to the Government laboratory at Weybridge on Thursday. We are co-operating fully with the Animal Health Agency and will take all appropriate measures.

"Aviagen operates to the highest standards of bio-security and flock surveillance at all sites."

A Newbridge resident, who has known the owner for 25 years but who did not want to be named, said Mr Pollock was a very responsible farmer. "He is always very strict on hygiene and is very conscious of problems," she added.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said last night: "There has been no outbreak of avian influenza in Scotland. The Animal Health Agency has been undertaking routine precautionary investigations into potential notifiable disease at a premises in the Edinburgh area."