Bird flu: Avian influenza hits fifth farm, despite lockdown

A fifth farm in the Golden Plains Shire has been hit with bird flu, despite producers locking up free-range birds.

The latest avian influenza outbreak is the fourth in the Golden Plains Shire, which is home to at least 3.5 million chickens.

A Victorian Government lockdown order has not yet halted the spread of avian influenza, with a fifth poultry farm’s flock coming down with the virus this week.

Agriculture Victoria issued the housing order across the Meredith and Terang regions more almost two weeks ago, banning poultry being outdoors, where they can mix with avian influenza infected wild birds.

Yet Agriculutre Victoria reported a fith avian influenza outbreak on Friday, but failed to supply any detail on the number of birds or type of farm involved.

Four of the infected properties are located in restricted and control areas in Meredith and Lethbridge, in the Golden Plains Shire and one at Terang is in the Corangamite Shire where movement restrictions were already in place.

All birds in these zones must be locked up, yet government veterinarians are still picking up other infected farms.

Earlier this week an outbreak was picked up on a farm within 900m of a site where birds from another outbreak were being buried.

Agriculture Victoria reported “all properties have been placed in quarantine and all poultry will be safely disposed of.”

This week’s two outbreak follows one at Farm Pride Foods 80,000 free-range hens at its Lethbridge Aviary operation over the weekend, plus others at Meredith and Terang more than a week ago.

The outbreaks have hit the heart of Victoria’s poultry growing region - the Golden Plains Shire, which is home to more than 1.5 million free-range, barn and caged hens, plus about two million chicken meat birds.

In an announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange on Tuesday morning, Farm Pride stated the viral strain detected at its Lethbridge Aviary site was “the same strain found on the egg farm at Meredith approximately 10 days ago”.

“The total hens at the Lethbridge Aviary site comprise approximately 80,000 free range hens, (which) represents approximately 8 per cent of Farm’s Pride’s total production capacity.

“The company will seek compensation from the Emergency Animal Disease Compensation Scheme arising from the disposal of these birds.”

Hens at another of Farm Pride’s sites – Lethbridge Rocks – tested negative for AI on Friday and Saturday of last week, with the company reporting they are “being treated as separate to the Lethbridge Aviary site and will continue to be monitored in conjunction with Agriculture Victoria”.

Farm Pride has a third site with about 40,000 free range hens in the Lethbridge, which is also subject to monitoring and testing.

The company said all its operations outside the Lethbridge area continue to operate as normal.