Egg farmers brace for impact as latest bird flu strain is detected in Victoria
Victorian egg farmers are taking protective measures after the first case of the latest strain of bird flu, known as H5N1, was detected in the state.
Local farmers are being particularly vigilant, having only recently recovered from the avian flu crisis in 2025 which saw 10 per cent of the national flock culled, leading to nationwide egg shortages and soaring prices.
The first case of a deadly avian flu strain has been confirmed in Victoria. iStockphoto
“Farmers, we run three different systems – barn, caged, and free-range – the caged farmers can up their biosecurity measures easily by not allowing people on the farm and making sure there’s no wild birds around their farms,” Brian Ahmed, president of the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) Egg Group, told Today.
“In the free-range and the barn cases, we’re recommended now by our experts to keep them locked up because the less chance they have of mixing with wild birds the less risk we have of getting a disease on our farm.”
There are real fears egg prices will spike if the virus continues to spread. Jo Abi
Free-range farmers have also been advised to move all food and water sources inside to remove the temptation from wild birds seeking them out.
H5N1 has now been confirmed in five states across Australia, with concern building for poultry and egg farm production.
Ahmed said farmers have been watching the crisis closely for some time, and have been preparing for it to arrive in the state.
“We knew it was a matter of when, not if, it was going to come,” he said.
“If it goes onto a farm, we’ve seen only two, three years ago when we were hit with H7, we lost almost two million birds in Australia.
“That was almost 10 per cent of our national flock.
“This strain if far more virulent than H7 so it would have a major impact on supply.”
He said the good thing right now is that the current virus has only been detected in wild birds.
Egg farmers are taking protective measures to protect laying flocks from the outbreak. Nine
“At this stage we don’t have it on any farm or even a backyard farm in Australia.”
Invasive species expert Dr Carol Booth told Today the spread of the virus and subsequent mass mortality in wildlife is now “inevitable” and the focus has turned to removing further threats from wild birds to support populations being able to rebuild.
Chicken and egg prices are currently holding steady in supermarkets, but the future looking uncertain as the crisis builds.
In 2025 the avian flu crisis saw the cost of supermarket eggs increase by as much as 15-25 per cent across all varieties.
Some supermarkets enforced buying limits during this time. H7 was eventually successfully eradicated following mandatory culls.
Recovery of the laying flock took 12-18 months and had only recently returned to normal when this latest virus hit.
Recover of laying flock took 12-18 months and had only recently returned to normal. Nine
Victorian egg farms produce 20-25 per cent of Australia’s total egg supply. New South Wales produces approximately 36 per cent and Queensland around 28.6 per cent.
H5N1 was first detected in Australia in Western Australia in June, followed by South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, and now Victoria.
