A further 80,000 chickens will be culled at a commercial egg farm in rural Otago impacted by bird flu.
It will bring the total number of chickens culled at a Mainland Poultry farm in Hillgrove, Otago, to 160,000.
The Ministry for Primary Industries’ chief veterinary officer Dr Mary van Andel said today testing and monitoring shows the high pathogenic subtype of avian influenza, H7N6, remains confined to the farm but has spread within it.
“As expected, a third shed on the Hillgrove property has tested positive for HPAI and its 40,000 chickens will be depopulated in the coming days,” van Andel said.
“A fourth shed, with 40,000 chickens, is yet to test positive but we are planning to depopulate it as it is highly likely to be infected.”
Van Andel said an unconnected small farm near Dunedin that underwent testing during the week has been confirmed free of HPAI.
She added continued monitoring and preliminary test results show no infection on five other Mainland Poultry properties linked to the Hillgrove farm.
The Hillgrove farm remains under strict biosecurity lockdown.
Van Andel said there have been no reports of sick poultry anywhere else in the country and that there remains no risk to eggs and chicken supply, nor any issues for food safety and human health.
