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Level 7, 122 Walker Street
NORTH SYDNEY
PO Box 579, North Sydney NSW 2059
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TRIAL TO IMPROVE ANIMAL DISEASE PREPAREDNESS (30 Oct to 1 Nov 2006) A field trial to be held near Mangrove Mountain next week will help in Australia’s efforts to be prepared should there be an outbreak of an emergency animal disease affecting poultry.
The trial will test whether carbon dioxide (CO2) can be used to euthanase a large number of birds in their sheds. This method may be used if poultry properties need to be de-stocked in the event of a disease outbreak to eradicate the disease. There have been several successful tests of this method overseas.
Carbon dioxide is one of the most humane and effective ways to euthanase a large number of birds in a short period of time, as may be necessary in the event of a disease outbreak. The gas is preferred as it is readily available and naturally occurring in the atmosphere.
The field trial will run for three days, from October 30 to November 1, 2006.
Click on the following links to see the Animal Health Australia Media Release and the Q&As.
Emergency Disease Preparedness
The chicken meat industry together with a range of other livestock industries have entered into a collaborative agreement with State and Federal Governments covering the response to certain emergency animal diseases and the sharing of costs by the parties.
The documents setting out detailed strategies and management plans are called AUSVETPLANs. The AUSVETPLAN for avian influenza and the one for Newcastle disease are available from the Animal Health Australia site. For a third disease of relevance to poultry, infectious bursal disease (hypervirulent form), a “response Policy Brief” is available.
Industry funding for Animal Health Australia and for industry’s share of expenditure under any disease response plan is collected through a levy on all one-day-old chicks leaving commercial hatcheries.
Outbreak Website
The Australian Government through its Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry maintains a special purpose website about emergency diseases in both animals and plants. This website is an excellent source of information on these diseases and provides up-to-date information on any outbreak that may have occurred. To access this website, click here.
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