HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-03-06, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2008.
Downhill racer
While there may be those eager to see the end of winter, there are also those who love to
make the most of the snow and ice. Matthew Oldridge is one of them and he took advantage
of the groomed run at Joe Hallahan’s this past weekend. (Vicky Bremner photo)
A lot of Huron County farmers arewondering who the turkey was whoreintroduced wild turkeys intoOntario.
At the Huron County Federation
of Agriculture’s Members of
Parliament meeting, March 1, Carol
Mitchell, MPP for Huron-Bruce was
flooded with complaints about the
problems caused for farmers by a
growing turkey population since the
birds were reintroduced by the
Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources more than a decade ago.
Joe Vermunt, Huron County OFA
regional director raised the problem
following a brief presented by the
Huron County Egg Farmers which
said the compensation for farmers
who have to destroy flocks because
of avian influenza is not high
enough.
Noting the growing presence of
wild turkeys in farmyards. Vermunt
wondered who would pay the cost if
the birds introduce disease into farm
operations since it was the provincial
government that imported and
released the birds.
Al Heyink, speaking for the egg
producers agreed that bio-security is
a big part of the industry but
producers are having to walk
through yards with manure from
wild turkeys in order to get to their
barns.
Vermunt said the problems extend
to farmers who store silage and grain
in plastic storage bags. Turkeys are
poking holes in the bags to get at the
feed inside, letting air in which can
rot the stored crop. “Farmers are
losing valuable feed,” he said.
Bill Wallace, a Seaforth-area dairyfarmer said the problem is becomingworse. Five years ago he would seeone or two birds, he said. But theprevious day there had been 40turkeys right inside the Cover-allshelter on his farm, eating feed put
out for calves. The birds were
walking right in the feeders, perhaps
spreading disease, he said. Recently
two calves had died from causes that
might have been associated with the
birds.
Bill Dowson, mayor of Bluewater
told of feedlot owners who complain
about the birds walking in the
feeders eating the cattle feed and
sometimes contaminating it.
During a discussion on whether
the limit for hunters to bag turkeys
might be raised, Neil Vincent, reeve
of North Huron noted that one
turkey hen can raise 60 chicks a year.
In some areas there are two or three
flocks of 60 birds each with in a
township block, he said.
“We’re already overpopulated,”
Vincent said.
“If there is a problem, at the end of
the day we have a responsibility,”
Mitchell said of the provincial
government.
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Today!
Farmers talk turkeyBy Keith RoulstonThe Citizen
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