Half of all geese destined for Christmas table culled as bird flu worsens

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed that all 12,000 geese at the farm will be humanely culled.

A 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone were put in place around the premises.

Norfolk, which is home to around 90 per cent of the country’s Christmas geese, has been hit particularly hard in the past month, leading to a housing order for birds being put in place on October 12.

The mandatory housing measures for all poultry and captive birds in Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex legally requires all bird keepers in these hotspots to keep their birds indoors and to follow stringent biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the disease, regardless of type or size.

Poultry auctioneer Fabian Eagle said: “That is the last of the four big flocks of geese gone.

“On a conservative estimate you could probably say that over half of the UK’s Christmas geese have now been culled.

“It is unlikely you will see an English goose in the supermarkets this Christmas, but if you normally get it from your local village supplier make sure you have confirmed your order.”

A regional Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) remains in place across Devon, along with Cornwall and parts of Somerset.