then it goes on : `` supplies of turkeys to the christmas market may be hit by recent fowl pest outbreaks which have resulted in large numbers of birds being slaughtered ... '' and further down , `` figures available show that 218,000 birds have been slaughtered ... last year , total supplies for the christmas market were estimated at between 3,700,000 and 4,000,000 birds , so much will depend now on the extent of further fowl pest outbreaks . '' '