AS the threat of Avian influenza flu has widened to a second property in the west near Terang, some poultry producers have called for a statewide lockdown while authorities have stressed the importance of strictly adhering to movement controls and to note the restricted areas.
Victorian Farmers Federation vice-president and egg farmer, Danyel Cucinotta said, “we’re urging farmers to remain on the lookout for any symptoms of avian influenza”.
“Traceability is crucial in biosecurity outbreaks, allowing for rapid identification and containment of threats to safeguard the health and safety of poultry.”
The movement controls require permits for the movement of birds, poultry products, feed and equipment on or off the properties in the restricted areas.
The movement control zones include a restricted area covering a five kilometre radius around the Meredith farm with a broader Control Area buffer zone in the eastern part of Golden Plains Shire Council.
The western boundary of this area is the Colac-Ballarat Road.
There is also a restricted area covering a five-kilometre radius around the Terang farm with a broader control area buffer zone covering a 15km radius, with a housing requirement for all birds within these areas.
These properties have been placed in quarantine and all poultry will be safely disposed of and the sites cleared of the infection.
Penalties apply for those who do not follow these restrictions.
“It’s vital that farmers follow their biosecurity protocols and reduce risk by limiting movements to prevent any further spread,” Mr Cucinotta said.
Avian influenza, commonly referred to as ‘bird flu,’ is a highly contagious viral infection of birds.
“I can’t stress more the importance of reporting any symptoms in birds to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888, even in backyard hens,” Mr Cucinotta said.
“While export restrictions are never good news for farmers, our focus remains on containing the spread on our farms.”
Consumers should not be concerned about eggs and poultry from the supermarkets, they do not pose a risk and are safe to consume.
