A family business near Preston, Lancashire which specialises in the production of geese and goose feathers played host to this year’s British Goose Producers’ farm walk on 21 September.
Goose producers up and down the country came together to discuss innovative production methods to increase business efficiency and productivity. The producers also shared lessons learnt from last winter’s bird flu outbreaks to minimise the spread of the infection in case of a future outbreak.
As geese spend most of their lives foraging outside over large ranges, they are most exposed to potentially infected wild birds. The family run businesses shared good practices around Goose farming and highlighted the importance of maintaining effective biosecurity throughout the year to avoid any incursion of potential infection.
Goose producers also acknowledged the role of their workforce in quickly responding to disease outbreaks, following biosecurity rules and preventing the spread of infection.
One of the producers participating in the farm walk said, “Our pillowy white birds are carefully reared, plucked and waxed by our highly professional people. Only then this much sought-after meat is ready to enter the market. We wouldn’t be where we are today without our hard-working people.”