Bird flu or not: Christmas goose is booming in Mecklenburg!

Bird flu or not: Christmas goose is booming in Mecklenburg!

In the Bartelshagen agricultural cooperative near Marlow, the Christmas goose sale is going surprisingly well, to the delight of customers. Despite the current threat of bird flu, those responsible report record sales on the first day of the store. Wilfried Lenschow, the head of the cooperative, is optimistic about the situation. At the moment, around 150 geese are processed in our own slaughterhouse every day, which corresponds to the organizational framework. Due to the circumstances, it is not possible to slaughter more animals at once. Fears of a possible outbreak remain high, which is why safety precautions in the company have been drastically tightened.

The bird flu has already had an impact in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: three poultry farms in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district are affected. But despite the warning signs, the goose sale is attracting interested buyers and the goose continues to be one of the most popular holiday foods when it comes to the festive table again at Christmas. The image of free-roaming geese is persistent and maintained to minimize stress on the animals. So far, all precautions have been taken to keep poultry farming going. According to ndr.de there is no negative impact on sales, which is a positive turnaround for the industry.

Cautious joy in uncertain times

In the midst of the challenging circumstances with the avian flu and the high risks of infection that result from the rapid spread of the virus, roast goose remains indispensable for many. Nationwide, almost a million farm animals were killed preventively, and almost 300 dead wild birds were found to be carriers of the virus. Nevertheless, the current sales trend in Marlow shows that enthusiasm for Christmas dinner appears to be unbroken and many people are ready to enjoy it.

The agricultural cooperative has decided to maintain its free-range farming. This is done out of the desire to offer the animals the best possible welfare and to avoid stress factors. For many consumers, this is very important. After all, you not only want to ensure that the food is enjoyed, but you also want to ensure that the animals live in a species-appropriate environment.

Everything is done with security games and controls to keep the situation in the company stable. Does the fate of Bartelshagen differ from that of other companies that are suffering greatly from the consequences of bird flu? It will be exciting to see how the remaining weeks before the holidays go.