INDUSTRY ISSUES

BIOSECURITY

Biosecurity is fundamental to the health, well-being and prosperity of Australia as diseases can threaten the country’s agricultural industries and potentially harm human health.

Biosecurity and quarantine protocols are integral parts of any successful poultry production system and include to those measures taken to prevent or control the introduction and spread of infectious agents to a flock. Such infectious agents, whether they cause clinical or subclinical disease can significantly reduce the productivity, profitability and long term financial viability of a poultry operation.

Biosecurity is about managing risk and it is essential that an assessment be conducted for each enterprise to establish what level of risk exists in each phase of its operations and to identify and implement control measures appropriate to these levels of risk.

A major route for disease and pathogen transmission is through the transfer of birds from hatchery to farm and from farm to processing plant, along with dead bird disposal. Some of the other avenues for transmission are through wild and feral birds, people, passing traffic, equipment, rodents and insects, air and water supply, feed and litter.

One of the biggest risks in regards to carrying poultry diseases onto chicken farms is people. This can be done through their footwear, clothing, hands and even vehicles, footwear, clothing, hands and even hair and nasal passages. Growers can implement a number of measures to minimise these risks.

The National Farm Biosecurity Manual for Poultry Production applies to commercial chicken meat farms from the time of delivery of birds until pick-up, slaughter or disposal of birds. The Manual establishes a minimum set of biosecurity standards applicable to all poultry producers.

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