How to reduce wild bird presence around poulty

With a strain of bird flu H7N6 recently being found in New Zealand, MPI are encouraging commercial poultry farmers to avoid contact between your birds and wild birds as mentioned here in their guide for avian influenza

Overseas in areas effected by HPAI, farmers are successfully utilising Laser Technology, to deter wild birds from:

1. Areas surrounding free ranging zones,
2. Barn rooftops,
3. Feed storage areas and water sources.

Enabling them to continue free range operations and prevent contamination from runoff from rooftops and food and water sources.

There is a study showing the effectiveness of lasers reducing birds around a poultry farm view here.

This concludes: The overall (all bird species combined) efficacy of the laser for reducing the rate of wild birds visiting the free-range study area was 98.2%, and for the Orders Anseriformes and Passeriformes, respectively, was 99.7% and 96.1%. With the laser in operation, the overall exposure time of the free-range area to wild bird visits, but specifically to the Order Anseriformes, was massively reduced. It can be concluded that the Class-III B laser is highly proficient at keeping wild birds, in particular waterfowl, away from the free-range area of layer farms situated along a winter migration flyway.

View a quick video showing a laser in operation around a poultry farm here

(Note this was turned on after birds had settled to show the effect of the beam – when operating proactively, the laser beam deters birds from settling in the area controlled by the laser)

Maintrac Group specialises in innovative bird control solutions, including our own Birdzout Auto Laser Ultimate MK2 – designed and manufactured here in New Zealand. 

We have experience in a wide range of other industries: viticulture, horticulture, commercial buildings – inside, rooftops and canopies, other primary industry situations – dairy sheds, feed out barns etc, and have developed a wide range of different solutions to suit each situation.

Contact us today for advice and a free recommendation. We are more than happy to look at specific situations or talk through any details. Lets work together to do all we can to help mitigate the risk of HPAI in New Zealand and minimise the impact that it potentially could have on the poultry industry.