How to Strengthen Farm Biosecurity and Reduce Bird Flu Risk

Bird flu can pose a serious risk to Australian farms, making strong biosecurity practices more important than ever. From managing visitors and animal movements to protecting feed, cleaning equipment and keeping clear records, practical biosecurity measures can help reduce the risk of disease entering and spreading across your farm.

In this guide, we look at the key biosecurity risks farmers need to consider and the practical steps you can take to strengthen your farm's biosecurity management.

Why does bird flu matter to farms?

Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a contagious viral disease that affects birds and can pose significant risks to poultry farms and the wider agricultural industry. Strong farm biosecurity can help reduce the risk of disease entering a property and spreading between birds, people, equipment and properties.

For farmers, biosecurity means identifying potential disease risks, putting practical controls in place, making sure workers and visitors follow them, and keeping records of those controls.

Understanding where biosecurity risks can occur is the first step to managing them.

How can bird flu enter a farm?

Bird flu can enter a farm through several pathways. These include contact with wild birds, animal movements, people, vehicles, machinery, equipment, feed, water, clothing and footwear.

Common biosecurity pathways include:

• Wild birds: Contact between wild and domestic birds, including through shared feed or water.
• New or returning animals: Birds or livestock introduced to the property or returning after being off-farm.
• People: Workers, contractors and visitors can carry contamination between properties or areas of a farm.
• Vehicles and machinery: Cars, trucks, farm machinery and other vehicles can transfer contaminated material.
• Equipment and tools: Shared or inadequately cleaned equipment can spread contamination.
• Feed and water: Contaminated feed, water and storage areas can increase exposure risks.
• Clothing and footwear: Contaminated mud, manure and other materials can be carried between areas.

The key biosecurity principle is to manage how people, animals, equipment and materials move around your property.

How can farmers strengthen farm biosecurity?

Farmers can strengthen biosecurity by controlling property access, managing animal and people movements, maintaining clean equipment, protecting feed and water, and reducing contact between domestic and wild birds.

Australian Government guidance recommends strong on-farm biosecurity measures, including limiting visitors, managing contact with wild birds, quarantining new stock and keeping vehicles, equipment and footwear clean and disinfected.

Manage farm access

Controlling who enters the property and where they can go can help reduce biosecurity risks.

• Limit unnecessary visitors and restrict access to high-risk areas.
• Record visitors and contractors entering the property.
• Clearly define areas that visitors can access.
• Use signage to communicate biosecurity requirements.

Manage people, clothing and footwear

People can unintentionally carry contaminated material between properties or areas of a farm. Biosecurity is also a workplace health and safety consideration. Safe Work Australia identifies contact with animals and animal biological material as potential sources of biological hazard exposure for agricultural workers.

• Provide dedicated farm clothing and footwear where appropriate.
• Encourage good hand hygiene.
• Use appropriate cleaning measures, such as footbaths where required.
• Clean and disinfect footwear, clothing and equipment when moving between areas.

Manage animal movements

Moving animals onto, off or around a property can introduce biosecurity risks.

• Quarantine new or returning birds or animals where appropriate.
• Source animals from reputable suppliers with appropriate health and biosecurity practices.
• Monitor animal health and report unusual signs promptly.
• Minimise unnecessary movement between animal groups or areas.

Clean vehicles, machinery and equipment

Vehicles, machinery and shared equipment can carry contaminated material between properties and areas of a farm.

• Clean and disinfect equipment where appropriate.
• Minimise unnecessary movement of vehicles and machinery between properties.
• Use dedicated equipment for higher-risk areas where practical.
• Record cleaning and disinfection activities.

Protect feed and water

Feed and water can become potential sources of contamination if they are accessible to wild birds or other animals.

• Protect feed and water from contamination.
• Prevent wild birds from accessing feed where practical.
• Clean up feed spills promptly.
• Keep feed storage and water areas clean and well maintained.

Reduce contact with wild birds

Reducing opportunities for wild birds to interact with domestic birds can help manage avian influenza risk.

• Reduce contact between wild and domestic birds where practical.
• Manage feed spills that may attract wild birds.
• Minimise standing water where appropriate.
• Keep areas around sheds, housing and feeding areas clean.

Effective biosecurity relies on consistent, everyday practices rather than a one-off procedure or annual review. The National Farm Biosecurity Manual for Poultry Production outlines minimum biosecurity standards for poultry producers, including routine procedures, training, record keeping and controls for people, equipment and animal movements.

How can farms make a biosecurity plan work?

A biosecurity plan is only effective when workers and contractors understand it, can access it and consistently follow the required procedures.

Farmers can make their biosecurity plan more effective by:

• Documenting procedures so workers know what is expected.
• Assigning responsibilities so everyone understands who is responsible for each control.
• Training workers and contractors on relevant biosecurity procedures.
• Recording visitors and movements to maintain visibility of activity on the property.
• Keeping procedures accessible so workers can refer to them when needed.
• Reviewing controls regularly to make sure they reflect current risks and farm operations.

Good biosecurity is not just about having procedures documented. It is about making sure those procedures are practical, understood, followed and regularly reviewed.

Clear records can help farmers identify gaps, monitor controls and follow up on outstanding actions.

What biosecurity records should farms keep?

Biosecurity records help farmers track what is happening on-farm and demonstrate that biosecurity controls are being implemented.

Depending on the farm and its biosecurity requirements, records may include:

• Visitor and contractor movements: Who entered the property, when and where they went.
• Animal movements: Animals entering, leaving or moving between areas.
• Cleaning and disinfection: When equipment, footwear, vehicles or other areas were cleaned.
• Worker training: Who has completed relevant training and when procedures were reviewed.
• Biosecurity checks: Routine checks to confirm controls are in place and being followed.
• Incidents or suspected disease: Details of unusual animal health concerns or biosecurity incidents.
• Corrective actions: Issues identified, actions required and whether they have been completed.
• Equipment cleaning: Cleaning and disinfection of shared or higher-risk equipment.
• Relevant inspections: Checks of sheds, housing, feed storage, access points and other biosecurity controls.

Good record keeping provides visibility. Instead of relying on memory or paperwork stored across different locations, farmers and managers can see what has been completed, identify gaps and follow up on outstanding actions.

Biosecurity records shouldn't just show that a plan exists. They should help demonstrate that the plan is being followed.

How can digital systems help with farm biosecurity?

A digital safety management system can help farmers organise biosecurity records, complete checks, track actions and maintain visibility across their operations.

Paper forms, spreadsheets and records stored across different locations can make it difficult to know what has been completed and where gaps remain.

With Safe Ag Systems, farmers and managers can:

• Keep records in one place: Manage checks, training, visitor records and actions together.
• Complete checks from a mobile device: Record inspections and tasks while working on the farm.
• Track actions through to completion: Identify issues, assign actions and monitor progress.
• Keep worker and contractor records current: Manage training, inductions and other requirements in one place.
• Maintain visibility across properties: See what is happening across multiple farms or locations.
• Access records when needed: Quickly find information when reviewing controls, following up actions or preparing for an audit.

Digital record keeping doesn't replace good biosecurity practices. It helps farmers put those practices into action, keep track of what is being done and identify where improvements are needed.

Effective farm biosecurity is about identifying risks, putting practical controls in place, making sure people follow them and keeping clear records. Digital tools can make that process easier by bringing biosecurity activities, records and actions together in one place.

FAQ

What is bird flu?

Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a viral disease that primarily affects birds. Different strains can vary in severity, with highly pathogenic avian influenza capable of causing serious disease and death in poultry and other birds.

How can bird flu spread on a farm?

Bird flu can spread through contact with infected birds and contaminated materials. Potential pathways include wild birds, people, vehicles, equipment, clothing, footwear, feed and water.

How can farmers reduce the risk of bird flu?

Farmers can reduce biosecurity risks by limiting unnecessary visitors, managing animal movements, keeping equipment clean, protecting feed and water, reducing contact between domestic and wild birds, and ensuring workers understand and follow biosecurity procedures.

What should I do if I find sick or dead birds?

Don't touch sick or dead birds. If you see multiple sick or dead birds or other animals, record what you observe and report it through the appropriate animal disease reporting channels. In Australia, the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline is 1800 675 888.

Is bird flu currently in Australia?

H5 bird flu has been detected in wild seabirds across multiple states, including Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and Tasmania. As of the latest national information available, farmers should check current government alerts rather than relying on older information.

Do Australian farms need a biosecurity plan?

Biosecurity requirements vary depending on the type of operation, animals kept and applicable state or territory requirements. Poultry owners in South Australia, for example, are required to have biosecurity plans. Farmers should check the requirements that apply to their property and industry.

Where can Australian farmers get reliable bird flu information?

Farmers should use Australian government and animal health authorities as their primary sources for current bird flu alerts, biosecurity advice and reporting requirements.

• Australian Government – Bird flu (avian influenza) — national updates, current detections, preparedness and biosecurity information.
• Animal Health Australia – Avian influenza — information on H5 bird flu, signs of disease, preparedness and how to report suspected cases.
• Emergency Animal Disease Hotline: 1800 675 888 — for reporting suspected emergency animal diseases, including avian influenza.

Disclaimer: Content on this website may be of relevance to users outside of Australia, but content links and examples are specific to Australia. Please check with your local authority for your country and industry requirements.