A GWENT chicken farmer is calling for a cull rather than vaccination if bird flu breaks out in the UK.

Chicken farmer Gerry Tuffs, managing director of Gwehelog-based Farmhouse Freedom Eggs, has about 150,000 birds at farms across Gwent.

He is against mass vaccination, saying it would make it more difficult for the UK to regain disease-free status.

He prefers a cull if an outbreak is identified on a particular farm. Mr Tuffs admitted he was worried consumers would automatically stop buying eggs in the event of an outbreak.

He said: "If that happened, it would have quite an impact on our business."

He predicted the government would immediately order all bird flocks indoors if there is a British bird flu outbreak, and said there was enough shed space at his farms to house his birds.

He added that as a free range egg producer his firm was liable to difficulties if chickens were in barns long term, because they could no longer be classed as free range.

"If it goes on for three or four weeks, I think the general public will understand that it's a necessary requirement," he said "But if it goes on any longer than that, the eggs will be relabelled as barn eggs."

The egg industry is lobbying for government compensation if it is forced to mass cull.

Hundreds of people who shoot game across Gwent are also being advised about what to do if bird flu gets to Britain.

Meurig Rees, the British Association of Shooting and Conservation's Wales country officer, said pheasant syndicates in Monmouthshire and wildfowl shooters on the Severn Estuary would be particularly affected. They currently unofficially monitor birds for the authorities.

The Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs wants members of the public to report deaths of wild birds, particularly if there are several in one place. The helpline is 08459 335577.