Avian influenza - Biosecurity for bird owners

On this page:

• What can bird owners do to minimise the risk of avian influenza?
  • Commercial poultry
  • Backyard poultry
• Livestock property identification
• Want more information?

What can bird owners do to minimise the risk of avian influenza?

All bird owners need to be vigilant. Owners of backyard poultry or free-range poultry should be especially cautious.

Bird owners need to implement on-farm/backyard biosecurity measures to prevent wild birds gaining access to the same food and water supplies as poultry:

• Fit nets to poultry sheds to keep wild birds out. 
• Erect pens to keep domesticated poultry away from wild birds.  
• Keep domestic waterfowl separate from poultry where the waterfowl have access to the same water as wild waterbirds. 
• Prevent domesticated poultry from having access to open ponds, lakes or creeks or other watercourses. 
• Keep wild birds off farm dams with netting or other measures where practical.

Contaminated water (i.e. water that wild waterbirds have had access to) is one of the most likely routes of infection for poultry.

Therefore, it is strongly recommended that water supplied to poultry should be:

• from a treated (chlorinated) mains water supply 
• from a bore that produces water of sufficient quality for poultry 
• treated with chlorine if chlorinated mains water is not available.

Water should be chlorinated to achieve a level of 1-2 ppm before the water is used (treated water must stand for a holding time of 2 hours before the water is supplied to poultry and must be filtered to remove sediments that would deactivate the chlorine).

Poultry in the vicinity of wetlands or anywhere else where wild waterbirds congregate could be at higher risk.

Commercial poultry

Commercial poultry producers are encouraged to maintain a high level of biosecurity on their properties.

Producers generally have good biosecurity measures in place, including:

• maintaining a high level of security for all traffic coming onto poultry farms and a very high standard of hygiene to minimise spread of the disease  
• bird-proofing of poultry sheds to prevent contact between wild birds, especially wild waterbirds, and poultry 
• keeping records and reporting sudden decreases in production 
• ensuring all sick, diseased or dead birds are checked by an experienced veterinarian and ensure that samples are submitted to the regional DPI&F veterinary laboratory.

The 'Code of Practice for Biosecurity in the Egg Industry' has been developed to assist industry in understanding biosecurity issues so that plans can be developed to minimise the chance of an outbreak and the impact of disease. Producers are encouraged to contact their industry representative to obtain a copy or alternatively you can download the report from the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation website .

Backyard poultry

• Purchase animals of a known health status
• Isolate purchased animals
• Use good personal and farm hygiene - think clean
• Restrict visitors
• Control pests, wildlife and other stock/animals on farm
• Maintain facilities
• Prevent intermixing between poultry and wild birds

View the Animal Health Australia Avian Influenza Biosecurity Fact Sheet (  PDF 140 kB).

Livestock property identification

DPI&F has identified and mapped poultry facilities across the state to reduce delays in contacting or visiting producers in the event of an outbreak-but we need your help.

Did you know that if you have 100 or more poultry, you are obliged to register your property?

• Apply online for a Property Identification Code (PIC).
• Are your PIC records and contact details up-to-date? Update them online.

Your legal obligations are detailed in the Stock Identification Regulation 2005 (legislation can be downloaded directly at the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel website ).

Want more information?

• Email us your questions
• Phone the DPI&F Business Information Centre on 13 25 23
• Contact your local DPI&F Biosecurity office

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Last updated 19 December 2006