Bird flu cancels poultry shows, leaving chicken breeders devastated
Warrnambool and Port Fairy annual shows have cancelled their poultry sections due to H5N1 bird flu fears.
Chicken breeders in Victoria are losing a cherished tradition this year. Warrnambool and Port Fairy shows have cancelled their poultry sections.
Royal Melbourne and Royal Adelaide also shut down their competitions. Show organisers cancelled to stop disease spread.
Eddie Wallace is a breeder at Mailors Flat. He has reduced his birds and only just turned on his incubator.
Without shows, the passion is gone, he says. Normally his family shows together and meets other enthusiasts.
Warrnambool usually attracts 150 poultry entries. Show organisers say they are being careful about transmission risks to the broader industry.
Jason Callaway is the chief poultry steward. He said other major shows cancelled first, so they aligned with that standard.
Farm owner Zac Jeffries said his free-range egg operation continues as normal. His farm is just 16 kilometres from Victoria's first confirmed bird flu case.
- Eddie Wallace, Mailors Flat
- Breeder affected
- 150
- Normal poultry entries at Warrnambool
- H5N1 bird flu
- Virus
Why it mattersBreeders rely on community events for connection and competition. These are being wiped out. Authorities want to keep disease away from commercial flocks.
AustraliaVictorian chicken breeders are losing a yearly tradition and seeing their businesses disrupted; if H5N1 reaches commercial farms, prices for eggs and poultry will spike.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 16 h ago
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