Repopulation efforts are progressing well at Mainland Poultry's Hillgrove Farm in Otago. (File photo) Photo: Supplied
In just a few weeks Mainland Poultry's Hillgrove Farm will be back to producing farm fresh eggs.
The first flock of chicks have been transferred to the Otago laying farm, where the country's first case of the H7N6 strain of high pathogenic avian influenza was discovered in December last year.
Eradication efforts saw all 200,000 chickens on the farm humanely euthanised and disposed of in a secure landfill, along with eggs, litter and manure from the farm. It was followed by site decontamination and extensive surveillance, including more than 5600 tests being carried out.
It was not found anywhere else and the virus is believed to have spread from wild birds to free-range laying hens foraging outside.
Chief executive of Mainland Poultry John McKay said the [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/country/559292/controls-lifted-at-otago-poultry-farm-after-high-pathogenic-bird-flu-eradicated repopulation efforts were going well since starting after the farm was given the all clear in April.
"We're really pleased with how it's going," he said.
Chickens are being reintroduced to the farm in a staged process with the first flock ready to start laying eggs in the next two or so weeks.
Day-old chicks are being brought into the rearing sheds and kept there for 15 weeks before being transferred to each of the eight laying sheds.
"It's great to see birds back on the Hillgrove Farm," he said, adding it was a huge relief for the team who had faced a tough few months.
It would allow staff to "get back into some sort of normal operations and normal routines".
Day-old chicks are being brought into the rearing sheds and kept there for 15 weeks before being transferred to each of the eight laying sheds. Photo: Supplied
McKay said they were on track to be fully repopulated by May next year.
He said the recent biosecurity agreement reached by chicken farming groups and the government was also good news and had "landed in a good place".
The agreement covers cost-sharing arrangements between taxpayers and the poultry and egg industries.
"It was unanimously supported by our members on the egg side and also the broiler side of the industry," McKay said.
He was pleased to have in place and said it followed a "detailed and constructive process" that had been worked through with the Ministry for Primary Industries and government.
Under the agreement, industry is set to pay 45 percent of poultry disease readiness costs, like planning, training and research.
It will also cover 45 percent of response costs - or 40 percent for bird flu - and measures include testing, communications and control measures.
Mainland Poultry was still working through the compensation process with MPI which won't be completed until the farm has fully repopulated.
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