They are the two simple words which send a chill down the spine of any poultry breeder or chook owner: avian influenza.
The 900-bird Canberra and Queanbeyan Poultry Club show, which was to be held in August at the Queanbeyan Showground, has been cancelled and strict biosecurity measures are in place as the avian flu spread into the Belconnen district late last week.
The ACT quarantine buffer zone control area, declared under a legislative instrument in July 4, extends in a rough half-moon shape out from the NSW border, from the suburbs of Casey and Hall in the north to Macquarie and Belconnen in the centre and a large chunk of the Uriarra grazing and farmland to the south.
The zone was put in place after chickens at Pace Farms facility on Parkwood Road in MacGregor tested positive, followed by some backyard chooks nearby. There were 170,000 birds euthanised at the farm.
A grim reality for poultry breeders and fanciers right throughout the local region who have dedicated years to developing specialist breeds is now they simply won't take their birds anywhere; the risk is far too great.
Show birds are being placed into their enclosed breeding pens, owners are practising biosecurity measures and washing their hands regularly, and the precious birds are being kept away from contact with strangers.
One of the biggest dangers that spreads the highly contagious virus, aside from via human means such as the transportation of eggs from producer to a commercial grading location, are wild ducks, says former club president Michael Harriden.
"Wild ducks can carry these viruses without any apparent symptoms," he said.
"They carry it and shed it as they move around - and they can fly quite long distances.
"So if you have free-roaming backyard chooks, the big danger is that if those come into any contact with wild ducks carrying the virus, then they will almost certainly contract it."
The virus was first detected in June at two commercial poultry farms - an egg layer farm and a chicken (broiler) meat farm - in western Sydney in June.
The HPAI H7N8 strain detected in NSW is different to a strain which was detected in Victoria in May and is also under a control order.
Neither of these are the same as the H5N1 strain that is causing concern in the US and elsewhere.
The virus very rarely spreads to humans but is easily transmitted by moving sick birds, as well as on contaminated boots, vehicles and equipment, if proper biosecurity measures are not implemented.
The last recorded outbreak of avian flu in humans by the World Health Organisation was in the Fujian province in China on May 8.
Club secretary Kerry Moore said that most poultry shows would have cancelled anyway because people would have not taken the risk of travelling and showing, despite the social nature of the competition.
