Biosecurity is crucial for preventing the spread of disease and pests in farming systems, protecting the health and welfare of animals, reducing economic impacts of disease on the farm business, and protecting native biodiversity by preventing the spread of diseases or pests. International trade and climate change can contribute to the introduction and spread of disease.

A biosecurity plan should be part of each farm’s herd or flock health plan, developed with the farm’s veterinarian. Guidance from MPI should be followed, as the lead agency on biosecurity in New Zealand.

SPCA is concerned about the welfare of animals managed as pests in biosecurity plans.

SPCA advocates that all population control methods of wild animals to protect on-farm biosecurity are humane.

SPCA is concerned about the welfare impact of managing biosecurity outbreaks on farms.

Welfare problems can arise when managing disease incursions results in movement controls, emergency killing or depopulation of flocks or herds. We are concerned that the current methods of killing large numbers of animals in emergencies is inadequate in protecting welfare and can cause severe emotional harm to people involved.

SPCA is concerned about the management of poultry during an HPAI outbreak.

High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI, also known as ‘bird flu’) is a highly contagious viral disease which can cause severe ill health and high death rates in birds. The most severe strain of the virus is H5N1 which has quickly spread around the world by wild birds and into at least 60 species of mammals (including cows, cats and humans).

A preventative measure to prevent farmed poultry (commercial and backyard) from contracting HPAI from wild birds is to keep birds housed. For example, free-range chickens will be required to be kept in the barn and not allowed access to the range during an HPAI outbreak. This raises concerns about the adequacy of housing conditions; birds who are used to going outside may find it stressful to be kept inside for a prolonged period of time. The barn should ensure the welfare needs of birds are being met, such as providing adequate space, environmental substrates (such as litter, perches, dustbaths and pecking objects) and appropriate lighting (i.e. access to natural light and a normal lighting routine).

HPAI is a serious concern for farmed poultry species. If a flock is diagnosed with HPAI, emergency killing will be carried out on farm. Proper provisions should be carried out to ensure stress is kept to an absolute minimum during emergency killing and poultry are killed humanely.

SPCA is concerned about the marketing of eggs from free-range systems under HPAI housing restrictions.

Eggs and meat can be sold as free-range during HPAI housing restrictions. SPCA is concerned that this may be misleading to the public, as poultry are kept indoors in barns without outdoor access for long periods of time.

SPCA is concerned with the lack of control of backyard poultry during HPAI outbreaks.

Backyard poultry need to be protected from HPAI: owners of any poultry species must adhere to restrictions issued during a HPAI outbreak.