Charlotte Varcoe
MOUNT Gambier Poultry Club president Trevor Kuhl has welcomed an emergency response plan released by the state government should the pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) come to the state.
Commonly known as the bird flu, the influenza virus has swept through the eastern states including New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory.
Recently, the outbreak caused the poultry club to cancel its annual championships with hopes the Mount Gambier Show poultry section will be able to go ahead later this year.
Minister for Primary Industries Clare Scriven announced a number of actions would be taken should the bird flu come to the state.
This includes the implementation of disease control zones, quarantine and movement restrictions for poultry.
It would also include the destruction and disposal of infected and exposed animals, decontamination of infected premises, vehicles and equipment and animal products.
A number of key preparedness activities also include ensuring adequate supply of response equipment including chemicals and protective equipment, enhancing the state’s diagnostic capability for responses including the purchase of a mobile laboratory and emergency response units including equipment for quarantine, sampling and decontamination.
Operational planning for key response activities such as destruction, disposal and decontamination was also announced as well as skills training and operational response policies.
Mr Kuhl said having a good, quick response to an outbreak was a positive step forward with concerns growing about interstate outbreaks.
“There is a strategy in place if an outbreak happens,” Mr Kuhl said.
“Should an outbreak happen somewhere like Keith there is a strategy in place to minimise that spread and the state government are thinking ahead and not reacting to something.
“There are a lot of years that go into breeding poultry and should an outbreak happen we will lose some bloodlines where we might only have one of those so therefore the gene pools get smaller and smaller.”
He said there was now peace of mind that the state government had a plan in place, as if he lost all the poultry he bred then he would have to start from scratch.
“You cannot look into the future and predict what is going to happen, so I think it is good there are plans in place,” Mr Kuhl said.
“They are not going to have to sit back and have a think about what to do if an outbreak happens in the state, they are ready.”
He said it also showed a positive outcome for this year’s poultry section of shows across the region with the ability for South Australian poultry breeders to support one another.
Ms Scriven said protecting the agricultural industries through rapid response to any biosecurity incidents was “of paramount importance” to the state government.
“South Australia currently remains free of HPAI, and we would like to keep it that way,” Ms Scriven said.
“We remind anyone who owns birds, whether they are commercial flocks or backyard chooks to have their biosecurity plans in place to protect their poultry from disease.”
Producers or bird owners who notice any signs of disease in their backyard or commercial poultry flocks must immediately contact either your local veterinarian or the Emergency Animal Disease hotline on 1800 675 888.
