Chickens allowed free range again in Victoria as bird flu lockdown ends
Free-range chickens will have more room to move when a poultry lockdown is lifted in Victoria today. (ABC News: Bill Ormonde)
In short:
The poultry lockdown in Victoria's southern and coastal areas is ending today, even though bird flu is still spreading among wildlife.
Agriculture Victoria says welfare concerns and forecast hot temperatures were taken into consideration when deciding to ease the confinement rules for flocks of 50 or more birds.
What's next?
Authorities will continue monitoring the bird flu situation and will re-introduce the housing order if needed.
A lockdown order to protect Victorian poultry farms from H5N1 bird flu is being lifted today, despite the continuing spread of the deadly disease among wildlife.
Flocks of 50 or more birds in metropolitan Melbourne and southern parts of the state have been forced to stay indoors, or be confined, since the order was first announced in early August.
H5N1 is spreading among wildlife in Australia but has not been detected in poultry or livestock.
The control order applied in Melbourne and across southern parts of Victoria. (Supplied: Agriculture Victoria)
Agriculture Victoria said it took into consideration "animal welfare" and "hotter than average" forecast summer temperatures when deciding to lift the housing order.
Chief veterinary officer Graeme Cooke said farmers were supportive of the protection measures so far.
He said producers needed to continue to protect their flocks from wildlife as much as possible.
"Reducing contact between poultry and wild birds remains one of the most effective ways to lower the risk of disease," he said.
"We strongly encourage poultry owners to continue taking practical steps to separate birds wherever possible."
Graeme Cooke says poultry flocks should be protected from wild birds. (ABC Landline: Tim Lee)
Biosecurity 'best defence'
The lifting of the order brings 10 weeks of lockdown to an end for poultry farmers in Victoria's south.
"It's been a huge joint effort to keep bird flu out of our commercial poultry industry," Victorian Farmers Federation president Ryan Milgate said.
Ryan Milgate says farmers need to remain vigilant for any signs of bird flu. (ABC News: Sean Warren)
"Strong biosecurity practices remain our best defence to reducing the risk of disease outbreaks, such as H5."
Mr Milgate urged producers to stay on the lookout for sick or diseased birds.
"We must not rest on our laurels and become complacent," he said.
There have been 234 confirmed events of H5N1 in wildlife in Victoria so far.
And while the lockdown ends today, Dr Cooke says the risk of disease spread remains.
"We will continue monitoring the risk closely and retain the ability to introduce additional controls if circumstances change."
Victorians have been told to avoid contact with unwell or dead wildlife.
Reports can be made to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 or on the Agriculture Victoria website.
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.