Poultry farmers in Monaghan are being urged to do everything they can to keep bird flu out of their flocks.
Four cases of the highly contagious H5N1 strain were detected in wild birds around the country in the past week.
The disease poses no food safety risk, but can lead to high mortality within flocks or reduced egg production.
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Backyard flock owners in particular are being asked to be extra vigilant to prevent their birds mixing with wild birds, or passing it on to commercial enterprises.
IFA Poultry Chair and Carrickmacross farmer Andy Boylan says if there's an outbreak, it could be very serious.
