MPI says farms linked to Mainland Poultry’s Hillgrove site are free of bird flu

Wednesday, 25 December 2024, 2:44 pm
Article: RNZ

Delphine Herbert, senior reporter
24 December 2024

• Mainland Poultry's Hillgrove site now free of bird flu
• The site remains under lockdown while decontamination efforts continue
• MPI confident the disease was restricted to one property

An Otago free-range farm that became infected with bird flu in December has been confirmed as free of the disease.

Approximately 200,000 birds at Mainland Poultry's Hillgrove site were culled after the H-7-N-6 strain was found there.

Laying hens foraging outside are thought to have been infected through a low pathogenic virus from wild waterfowl.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) chief veterinary officer Mary van Andel said thousands of samples were taken at the end of the incubation period.

"On Sunday, we took about 4300 samples from 36 flocks across five farms linked to Mainland's Hillgrove layer property, where HPAI H7N6 was confirmed earlier this month, to coincide with the end of the full incubation period for the virus and none returned positive results.

"It is a significant number of tests and gives us confidence that this virus has been contained to just the one property and that we are on track to stamp out this disease."

Dr van Andel said the Hillgrove site remained under a strict biosecurity lockdown as it underwent cleaning and decontamination.

"The response effort will continue into the New Year with work to clean and decontaminate the Hillgrove site taking place over a number of weeks. It needs to be done carefully to ensure all traces of the virus have been removed.

"We will work with Mainland Poultry regarding an appropriate stand-down period for the property once decontamination is complete. MPI is working closely with the affected farmer on the matter of compensation."

Dr van Andel said the clear incubation period testing will help ongoing discussions with trading partners regarding New Zealand poultry exports and highlights the benefit of responding quickly to the bird flu find alongside industry.

"I want to acknowledge Mainland Poultry for working closely with us to stamp this out.

"MPI has had more than 200 people working on this response and the quick work to depopulate the approximately 200,000 chickens at Hillgrove, was the right decision.

"In total we've carried out more than 5600 tests on samples and bird flu has not been found anywhere other than Hillgrove.

"We're in close contact with relevant trade partners and to date, we've reached agreement with Australia to continue the export of some poultry products, including chicken meat, dried pet food, and dog rolls that meet avian influenza heat treatment requirements, worth more than $50 million.

"It's important to note that while there are common elements across markets, solutions are agreed with each country," said Dr van Andel.

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