A turkey farmer near to Milton Keynes has joined national calls for action after a group of vegan activists caused distress to her animals in the run up to Christmas.
It comes as part of a number of incidents involving vegan activists at turkey farms nationally, with national newspapers reporting that some turkey farmers have even received death threats.
Susan Gorst has run Moorgate Farm in Potterspury, near Milton Keynes, for over 19 years.
But she says this year has been the first when she has feared for the welfare of her animals after protests by vegan activists.
She told The Sunday Telegraph: “The gist of what I thought was their argument was that we kill animals - they said ‘oh you say that you love these animals but you kill them’"
“But I thought - we are giving them a happy life, they couldn’t get a happier life anywhere else than what they get here."
Mrs Gorst says the activists used a megaphone to blast loud chants into her turkeys field, with some of the animals refusing to come out onto the field afterwards.
“They are supposed to be there to protect the animals but they were upsetting the turkeys."
“Turkeys are quite sensitive and they don’t like anything unusual.”
“The most disturbing thing for me was they frightened the turkeys and they wouldn’t come out [into the field] again."
“I found it upsetting that they did pick on me, you take it personally, and you only become a farmer because you love animals, you want to care for them and want to be with them. The reason why I do the things the way I do it is because I don’t agree with big slaughterhouses and cruelty to animals.
“If they put us all out of business the only place you could buy a turkey is a big slaughter house and factory farm. We are the people who are trying to improve animal welfare, it’s very unfair.”
TV chef Richard Corrigan has now called for more Police protection of turkey farms in the run up to Christmas.
