Cases of bird flu have been reported across the ditch, putting New Zealand on high alert for "when" the avian influenza lands here, the minister in charge of New Zealand's response says.
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard told 1News bird flu had been expected to hit our shores since last year.
“I think what's happened in Australia has certainly made it clear, it’s on its way, eventually we will start getting those sea birds coming in from Antarctica or, if it spreads in Australia, coming across from Australia,” said Hoggard.
“It is pretty much a 'when' scenario."
Hoggard said a bird flu outbreak in New Zealand could impact the price of eggs and chicken meat.
“[If] it gets into one of these big producers and if it gets into a barn or a free-range flock then the death rate is 75% to 100%,” he said.
Bird flu will be on the agenda when Hoggard meets with Australia’s Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Anthony Chisholm, on Wednesday, after the Minister of Agriculture couldn’t come to New Zealand due to the outbreak.
The minister said they would be expected to discuss the effectiveness of Australia's response plans and the lessons learned.
Australia reported its first case of bird flu on June 20 in a brown skua bird on a beach in Western Australia. Two days later a second case was confirmed.
In New Zealand, preparations have already begun rolling out. Free-range chicken farmer Chris Martin told 1News he’s implemented a QR code system for visitors entering his Carterton farm.
“I suppose bird flu for the last five years has always been a when, not if,” said Martin.
Poultry Industry Association of New Zealand executive director Fiona MacMillan said the industry has been talking to international partners who have experience with the disease.
“New Zealand is one of the last places on Earth to get this disease, so we have something of an advantage in that we’ve had some time and we can learn,” she said.
MacMillan said the disease is likely to come on wild birds but could potentially come from mammals too.
“Stressing that it’s not here yet, but farmers would be on alert for symptoms like swelling, discolouration of the head or neck, lethargy, reduced appetite, layer birds might be reluctant to lay eggs,” she said.
Martin said, as well as the QR code system for visitors, his chicken shed had been rebuilt to mitigate wild birds coming in.
“It's getting closer, isn't it? I tell you what, I look at wild birds a bit differently at the moment,” he said.
He’s also set up a Star Trek themed alert system for his farm, where his chickens laid about 18,000 eggs per day.
“My level one, all systems green, our Enterprise is cruising at warp, no hazards detected. Amber alert, there's something out there and we are watching it, and then red alert, shields up, it's in our region and we need to escalate bio security accordingly,” he said.
The official advice was that anyone observing a group of three or more dead birds should report it to the Ministry of Primary Industries.
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