No shows for Victorian chicken breeders amid biosecurity outbreak

Victoria’s Avian Influenza outbreak has sparked debate about if backyard chickens should be registered the same as large commercial flocks. See the latest.

Victoria’s avian influenza outbreak has prompted calls for more regulation of smaller flocks and backyard chickens, with the expectation it’s not “if but when” another outbreak occurs.

It comes as figures show how the recent AI outbreak hit the state’s exhibition poultry sector, as just six out of 67 planned events by Victorian poultry shows went ahead so far this year.

Victorian Poultry Fanciers Association company secretary Anne Beaty said the group had advised all clubs postpone events while the outbreak was unfolding.

Ms Beaty said while club-affiliated poultry auctions have been postponed, “other auctions have still been running”.

The Melbourne Royal Show will not hold a poultry competition this year, based on guidance from Agriculture Victoria and the VPFA.

It is understood to be the first time a poultry competition has been postponed for biosecurity reasons.

The Melbourne Royal Show will not hold a poultry competition this year, based on guidance from Agriculture Victoria and the VPFA.

Ms Beaty said more regulation and policy were needed for observation of smaller flocks, the same as domesticated animals are registered with local government, while larger livestock such as sheep and cattle are registered with a property identification code.

“I don’t think enough people are taking it seriously. If we unfortunately get the bad strain from overseas, it’ll hit us a lot harder than this one has,” Ms Beaty said.

“It’s not if, it’s when it’s going to come. I do think all poultry people need to have their poultry registered, whether it’s backyard or exhibition.”

Movement control measures to prevent spread of influenza in Western Victoria were lifted for some birds last week.

Control measures were put in place after seven cases of the high pathogenicity H7N3 strain were detected at properties in the Golden Plains Shire, as well as a single case of the H7N9 strain detected at Terang, in May and June.

No cases have been detected in Victoria since June 24.

An Agriculture Victoria spokesperson said the department was in contact with poultry event organisers to provide information and “to ensure biosecurity plans and hygiene practices are followed”.

“Our goal is to return all poultry operations to a normal state and ensure Victoria is free from the disease as soon as possible,” the spokesperson said.

Poultry owners with flocks under 50 birds are able to get a PIC for their property at no cost, regardless of the number of poultry kept.