Movement controls have been lifted from Mainland Poultry’s Hillgrove Farm in Otago, after the successful eradication of H7N6 strain of high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
When HPAI H7N6 was detected in poultry at the property in early December, the Ministry for Primary Industries moved swiftly to stamp out the virus.
"While there is still work to be done, the lifting of movement controls is a significant milestone in the response and means that Mainland Poultry can begin the process of returning to business," said Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) chief veterinary officer Dr Mary Van Andel.
"We’re grateful to Mainland Poultry, which did the right thing in notifying us as soon as an exotic disease was suspected and for working with us in partnership to successfully stamp out this disease."
MPI immediately implemented strict movement controls on the property to prevent goods or any other items that might be carrying the virus from leaving the property.
Dr van Andel said more than 5,600 tests were carried out on samples from poultry and wild birds, including from 36 flocks across five farms linked to the Mainland’s Hillgrove property. HPAI was not found anywhere else except Hillgrove, providing confidence that the disease had been contained and eradicated.
Chickens on the farm were humanely euthanised and disposed of in a secure landfill, along with eggs, litter and manure from the farm. An extensive cleaning and disinfection process followed this.
"The processes we have followed, depopulation and disposal, decontamination of the site and extensive surveillance, give us confidence that the virus has been eradicated."
MPI staff will continue to support the Mainland as the farm is repopulated.
"Good progress is being made to restore trade, with around NZD 300 million of trade in poultry products recovered to date."
MPI has worked with overseas government counterparts and industry partners in New Zealand to meet market requirements and has also proposed alternative assurances to some markets. MPI has continued to work towards the reopening of trade for others.
Dr van Andel added that testing indicated that the infection at Hillgrove is likely to have occurred after free-range laying hens foraging outside were exposed to wild birds with a low pathogenicity (LPAI) virus strain, which then mutated in the hens to become HPAI.
"This is the first time such an event in New Zealand has been documented, and our first case of HPAI. We’ve learned a lot from this response that will help us to prepare for HPAI H5N1 if it spreads here."
