# 1257
After 24 hours of near-hysterical headlines anticipating that the virus had spread beyond the first farm, we now have news that the birds that died on the second farm did not die from that virus.
No bird flu found at second farm
MICHAEL POLLITT, EDP RURAL AFFAIRS EDITOR
16 November 2007 11:34
Turkeys at the second culled farm have tested negative for avian flu, it was confirmed today.
The slaughter of 5,500 turkeys at Grove Farm, Botesdale, has now been completed and Defra's laboratory tests have shown no sign of the highly-pathogenic strain of H5N1 in the birds.
Defra's acting chief vet, Fred Landeg, took the decision to “slaughter on suspicion” the second flock of free-range turkeys at Botesdale - close to the site of the first outbreak farm at Redgrave.
When Animal Health officials arrived at the farm, they found between 30 and 50 dead turkeys and decided on Wednesday that the flock should be culled as a priority. However, the news that these birds were negative will be welcome news to the poultry industry.
Defra slaughtered all 6,500 turkeys, geese and ducks at Park Farm, Redgrave, when tests on Monday confirmed the presence of the H5 strain, later revealed to be the H5N1 virus.
Now, Defra are awaiting results of laboratory tests on the 1,000 ducks and 500 geese at Redgrave and it is hoped that results will be known later today.
Good news for the turkey farmers.
Too soon, perhaps, to conclude that this outbreak has been contained, but good news nonetheless.
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