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CEO UPDATE

H7 avian influenza response in Victoria

Agriculture Victoria is well progressed with its response to an H7N8 bird flu outbreak in northern Victoria.

No new disease has been detected since 24 February 2025, and decontamination of the affected premises is in the final stages.

Sentinel chickens are being put in place and will be regularly tested for disease. If clear, further restocking can begin.

This is a significant step towards establishing Victoria’s freedom from high pathogenicity avian influenza and a testament to hard work and cooperation from industry, community and impacted property owners.

A reminder that this is not the H5N1 bird flu strain detected in other parts of the world.

For the latest response updates, see AgVic and outbreak.gov.au.

AHA Board meets in Darwin

In May, the Animal Health Australia (AHA) board and I travelled to Darwin for our second meeting of 2025.

We conduct one board meeting per year in a location outside Canberra to build relationships with stakeholders and strengthen our national engagement with partners.

The visit included tours of the Berrimah Biosecurity Containment Level 3 Veterinary Laboratory and live export yards.

With its vast and sparsely populated coastline, Northern Australia is the frontline for many high-risk animal and plant pests and diseases.

Our visit was a fantastic opportunity to see firsthand the outstanding quality and management of these facilities while also gaining invaluable insights into key biosecurity, emergency animal disease (EAD) preparedness, and livestock management issues in the Northern Territory.

Key topics at our meeting included the 2025-30 Strategic Plan and 2025-26 Annual Operating Plan, both of which are in the final stages of approval.

I want to thank the board for a productive few days of discovery, planning and goal setting. I’d also like to thank our NT hosts for their valuable time, insights and hospitality. It was much appreciated.

Regards

Dr Samantha Allan

Quick links

• CEO update
• AUSVETPLAN
• Animal Health in Australia 2024
• NAHIP and NSDIP
• H5 bird flu resources
• AMR case studies
• Upcoming events
• Recent publications
• Around the traps

MEMBER UPDATE

Australian Veterinary Emergency Plan (AUSVETPLAN)

After completion of the review and approvals process, the following AUSVETPLAN manuals have been endorsed by the Animal Health Committee:

• AUSVETPLAN Operational manual: Disposal, version 5.1
• AUSVETPLAN Response strategy: Foot-and-mouth disease, version 5.4

They will now be prepared for publication on the AHA website.

The Commonwealth has undertaken work to address the AUSVETPLAN Technical Review Group (TRG) comments on the new AUSVETPLAN Enterprise manual: Northern Australia beef cattle industry, which will allow this manual to progress to the Industry Forum for approval soon.

The writing group for the AUSVETPLAN Response strategy: Classical swine fever has completed their review and update of the manual, which will now be progressed to the TRG for review.

AHA thanks the writing group for all their work on this manual.

Animal Health in Australia 2024 Annual Report now available!

NAHIP and NSDIP advisory committee updates

The advisory committees for the National Animal Health Information Program (NAHIP) and the National Significant Disease Investigation Program (NSDIP) met in Canberra on 14 and 15 May 2025 for their annual meetings.

Committee members reflected on their experiences submitting the first quarter of animal health surveillance data based on the new data standards into the Central Animal Health Database.

The committees noted that the data management and use policies and improved data standards have strengthened the programs and discussed areas where improvements in data quality would further strengthen national reporting.

New H5 bird flu resources

AviFluMap: supporting Australia’s response to H5 bird flu

A new online tool designed to help wildlife managers and biosecurity stakeholders assess and respond to H5 avian influenza (H5 bird flu) risk in Australia’s wild bird populations was released earlier this month.

Titled AviFluMap, the tool:

• identifies and maps recent global H5 bird flu outbreaks
• maps migratory routes of wild birds that may carry H5 bird flu to Australia
• pinpoints Australian locations where these birds are likely to arrive and where local wild bird populations reside
• models the susceptibility of Australian bird species to H5 bird flu infection.

AviFluMap was funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). The tool was initiated by Wildlife Health Australia and developed by Deakin University in collaboration with BirdLife Australia.

To access the AviFluMap dashboard, go to AviFluMap.

H5 avian flu preparedness: vaccination of priority native bird species

The Australian Government is currently working through regulatory and policy arrangements to enable the vaccination of Australian priority native bird species in the event of a H5 bird flu incursion (or significant threat of an incursion). This includes the purchase of a bird flu vaccine and vaccination trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this vaccine in small Australian bird species.

For details, see DAFF’s newly released Preparing for H5 avian influenza (bird flu) – Vaccination of priority native bird species fact sheet.

For more resources about Australia’s preparedness for H5 avian flu, see the DAFF website.   

New case studies on antimicrobial stewardship in feedlots

AMR Vet Collective has developed two comprehensive case study modules on antimicrobial stewardship in cattle and sheep feedlots. These modules provide veterinarians with practical, evidence-based strategies to minimise antibiotic use and optimise disease management.

By working through these modules, veterinarians can enhance their knowledge and apply these practices daily.

The case studies can be accessed for free through the VetAMS online learning program.