Poultry movement

Moving poultry to SA from interstate

Chickens for commercial use, as egg-laying birds or breeders, must be vaccinated for Newcastle disease before they enter South Australia. Learn more about Newcastle disease.

There are no other restrictions when moving poultry to South Australia from interstate. This includes:

• poultry products such as eggs, meat and feathers
• other poultry species such as emus, turkeys, other birds.

Interstate poultry diseases

Some poultry diseases occur interstate more often than in South Australia, so it is best not to move birds into SA. If you have to move birds from interstate into SA, make sure you follow current biosecurity practices.

Diseases found interstate include classes of infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) virus in New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria. These are more virulent than the classes present in South Australia.

There has also been widespread detection of Salmonella enteritidis in NSW which has caused significant foodborne illness in people and major egg recalls from retailers.

To help reduce the risk of bringing poultry disease into South Australia:

• keep new birds separate from your current flocks (e.g. held in a quarantine pen) for at least 4 weeks, until you are sure they are disease-free after they have been transported to your property
• ask suppliers if birds have been vaccinated and request vendor declarations for proof of vaccination
• buy from reputable bird suppliers, such as commercial pullet rearers who are proficient at vaccinations
• ask suppliers if they can demonstrate their birds are free from Salmonella or have done any recent Salmonella testing
• consider which truck routes to take to minimise birds getting infected with respiratory diseases (e.g. ILT)
• contact Biosecurity SA if you have any concerns or questions.

Contact

Biosecurity SA
Phone: (08) 8207 7900
Email: PIRSA.biosecuritysa@sa.gov.au