VICTORIAN authorities has turned to hi-tech in a bid to contain its avian flu outbreak, which has impacted on close to 8 per cent of the nation’s egg production.
The Agriculture Department is backing up its traditional containment zone approach with a Dutch designed laser-based bird deterrent.
Not to keep infected or quarantined birds in, but to keep wild birds out.
Wild birds represent the biggest risk of the virulent H7N3 HPAI strain of avian influenza being spread further than the two zones currently isolated in the southwest of the state.
The tool from the Netherlands is the AVIX Autonomic laser system.
It emits laser beams which create a hostile environment for wild birds, effectively deterring them from entering poultry areas and reducing the risk of disease transmission.
These deterrents are billed as rated non-lethal, humane, and require minimal maintenance, making them a valuable addition to existing biosecurity protocols.
The biggest risks to other areas of the state, including right along the Murray, are ducks and pigeons visiting the infected areas and then heading in every direction, possibly having been infected themselves.
Recent studies showed the Bird Control Group’s laser system could be a successful biosecurity measure to prevent viruses spreading from wild birds to domestic animals.
The results were promising, indicating an overall 98.2 per cent efficacy in reducing the rate of wild birds visiting the farm.
The AVIX Autonomic laser system continuously moves a laser beam that leverages a bird’s innate fight or flight response to scare away both pests and migratory birds.
As a result, the area looks uninhabitable, pushing the birds elsewhere and reducing contamination and the risk of avian flu transmission across poultry farms.
Agriculture Victoria is monitoring eight poultry farms involving more than 1.2 million birds.
Virus strains are described as low pathogenicity (LPAI) or high pathogenicity (HPAI).
Seven infected properties close to Meredith between Ballarat and Geelong have been infected with a dangerous strain of avian flu called H7N3.
A property near Terang in the Western Districts has become infected with a highly contagious strain called H7N9.
Tracing is also underway to determine the source and spread of the infection.
