A Co. Wicklow poultry farmer has claimed that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) seized around 700 ducks from his farm this morning (Tuesday, December 10).
The farmer, Sean Kent, said that the flock of Aylesbury ducks, were removed from his farm at 7:00am this morning.
Separately in a statement DAFM told Agriland: “The department can confirm that enforcement action has taken place at a premises in County Wicklow under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.
“As these matters relate to an ongoing investigation the department will not be providing any further comment.”
Speaking to Agriland, Sean Kent expressed his frustration at the loss of his flock.
The farmer also said that not only were the ducks seized by DAFM but a quantity of eggs were seized also. The ducks were taken away in two livestock lorries.
The Co. Wicklow poultry farmer said: “There was eggs seized too and I don’t know how many.”
The farmer estimated that 6,000-7,000 eggs were seized and said that eggs have been seized from the farm on a number of occasions since October of this year.
Kent also has a flock of approximately 650 breeding geese but confirmed that these were not taken in this morning’s DAFM operation.
He said that the geese are used on the farm for egg production where the eggs are hatched and the goslings are sold. The ducks are also hatched and sold on for egg and meat production.
The farmer described the flock of Aylesbury ducks as “a national asset” because he believes that it is the “only flock of unvaccinated ducks in Ireland or the UK”.
The farmer was extremely upset at the loss of his flock and said “we have been hatching geese on the farm since 1985 so nearly 40 years and we have had ducks not for quite as long, but over 20 years.”
Kent also said that he researches poultry and that he has “an international reputation” in the area.