National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme Inc. - - PDF document

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National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme Inc.

www.napis.webs.com

NAP NAPIS IS

Presentation by The NAPIS Management Committee

January 2013

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National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme Inc

NAPIS Management Committee

Implementation Manager Wayne Ingleton Senior Advisor Alan Brennan Promotions Coordinator Jeff Fulcher Ring Registrar Graeme Rantall Document and Web Coordinator And Deputy Ring Registrar Amanda Fulcher

Contents

Introduction to NAPIS Implementation of NAPIS Management and Auditing of NAPIS Biosecurity NAPIS Breeder Logbook NAPIS Ring Size Chart and Order Form

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National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme Inc

Introduction

The National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme (NAPIS) is a voluntary scheme where breeders of pure bred Poultry, order closed rings to place on their birds. Poultry is defined as large fowl, bantams, ducks, geese and turkeys (which are listed in the Australian Poultry Standards). The NAPIS Ring Co-ordinators send out the rings and record the size and ring numbers that are sent to the breeder by documenting on a National Ring Recipient Register Annually. Lifelong (closed rings) cannot be removed once placed on. The growth of a chick is so rapid that, one to two weeks after placing the rings on them, they cannot be removed. Timing is the key point to placing these rings on the birds so that they will stay on. Each Ring will have the Initials NAPIS, the year, the letter of the ring (depicting the size) and the ring number and different colours will be used each year to identify the age of pullets and cockerels. Hens and Cock Birds will over time have several colours when showing. Lifelong Rings provide accurate recording of pure bred poultry movements and identification, aiding in the conservation and preservation of all pure breeds of poultry. The poultry industry here in Australia has come under threat from various exotic disease outbreaks over the past few years such as ILT and Avian Influenza (bird flu). A major outbreak will have devastating effects

• n the exhibition poultry industry with Biosecurity laws preventing exhibiting, selling and transporting

poultry interstate. While the ringing of birds will not prevent these outbreaks, the National Ring Recipients Register will be able to provide the locations of the breeders and their birds. The onus will be on the Breeders to record bird movement via the use of a Breeder’s Log Book. As part of this presentation there will be guidelines on how to achieve this and the national ring recipient register and associated breeder log book would enable the regulatory bodies to quickly give clearance or quarantine areas to prevent and contain the spread of disease and the possible end of pure bred poultry as we now know it. Other advantages, which are discussed in the Implementation section, are as follows;

• 1. A National Ring Recipients Register.
• 2. A Breeders Log Book for the breeder’s to keep accurate records of all their poultry movements

and activities.

• 3. It will be much more difficult to steal a bird.
• 4. Automatic identification of our birds for the breeding pens.
• 5. The inheritance of the birds will never be lost.
• 6. A national closed ring will allow all birds to be shown wearing the same ring. This will keep our

records accurate instead of removing clip- on rings and possibly putting a wrong ring back on the bird thereby affecting future breeding plans.

• 7. Each year the Lifelong ring will be a different colour.
• 8. Traceability of all exhibition poultry movements.
• 9. Different coloured lifetime rings for each year, will prevent having birds entered in wrong age

classes.

• 10. If birds are placed in wrong cages at shows they can be correctly identified.

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National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme Inc.

Implementation of NAPIS

Proposals of some Ringing Schemes in the past have been suggested but didn’t eventuate due to the enormous time and cost in setting up such a

• scheme. The Modern Game Promotional Society (MGPS) has a team of

dedicated members who are prepared to put the initial implementation and management of a National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme in place for eventual Management by a National Committee of a fully

• perable scheme.

PHASE ONE 2012 Closed ring suppliers were approached for quotes on the most economical cost of the rings, delivery times and an invitation was sent out to MGPS members to participate in the optional trial of ringing Modern Game Bantams with lifelong leg bands. As Bantam Modern Game is the first section of a breed trialling the rings the identification of the 2012 rings has the following information: MPGS 2012 (M for male / F for female) ring number. Colour Orange. Letters and proposals have been sent to State Poultry Bodies, Royal Shows and Waterfowl Associations and Poultry Clubs advising them of the scheme and asking for support in allowing rung Modern Game to participate in their shows. Poultry Clubs not affiliated with the State Poultry Bodies will also have letters sent to them advising of the scheme. There are State Bodies, Royal Shows and Poultry clubs that have already accepted the rung birds to be exhibited and once the remaining ones are received, the list will be published advising all concerned of their support or decline. All country town agricultural shows will also be contacted advising them of the scheme and asking for their support of the project. The National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme has been extended to enable all breeds the

• pportunity to Trial lifelong rings optionally and breeders have been asked to supply data regarding leg

sizes of their birds. A good indicative number would be a minimum of 50,000 birds rung in all breeds to start with. An Initial NAPIS Management Committee has been formed from members of the MGPS to Implement and Manage a National Poultry Identification Scheme and meetings from this committee have plans and updates which are available for viewing. A National Ring Recipient Register has been designed and a program for the Register is being written, ensuring that all information on the main data page will be in a hidden folder containing the ring purchasers name, postal address, email address and contact phone numbers. Once the ring order has been received, the information will be entered onto the main page, the breeder will be allocated a breeders registration number and this number will be the only form of identification used on a sub page to identify the ring numbers

• supplied. For Auditing purposes, only the sub folder containing the breeder’s registration number (not their

name) and their associated ring numbers will be shown. A breeder’s Personal Log Book has been developed enabling the breeder to record all movement of their

• birds. It is mandatory that the breeder record all bird movement in their personal breeder log book for rings

not used, birds culled, for birds sold or given away, for birds received into their studs, for shows that have been attended, Quarantine records and reasons, and poultry death records as validation of bird movement may be required in the case of a bio security outbreak. There are also non-mandatory sections for your breeding records, Vaccination and Worming charts and a cost control section.

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National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme Inc.

Detailed guidelines are provided on how to complete the log book and how to put rings on the birds, which is included in the breeder’s log book. This Information will also be available on the web site for those that wish to gain some understanding and knowledge before trialling the rings. Many breeders already keep records of their chick’s parentage and the NAPIS scheme will further enhance this by the use of lifelong rings and recording the associated data on stud breeding records. Having lifelong rings on the birds when showing will protect the true breeding records rather than the breeder having to remove detachable identification rings, as in the past because of some clubs anti ringing rules at their

• shows. The added bonus is that each bird will have identical rings, no matter what the breed, with their own

personalised number. Each year a different coloured ring will be used to identify the year and the letters NAPIS replacing the letters MGPS. The letters M and F will be replaced with a single letter depicting the size of the ring. Breeding records, vaccination and worming charts and expense records are included in the breeders log book for your own personal use and Pedigree forms are available to download or can be posted to those who wish to use them. A web page has been developed which will include all the information in this presentation, it is also available as a hard copy for breeders who do not have access to the internet, ensuring that all breeders have the same information available to them. A code of conduct has been prepared requiring the Management Committee and all State Ring Stewards to sign before being appointed to these positions. The Ring Registrar and their Deputy will be the only two people able to access the National Ring Recipients Register .The NAPIS Management Committee and State Ring Stewards will be bound to the Privacy and Confidentiality Act to protect the ring recipients; they are also bound to the NAPIS Constitution which has also been completed. PHASE TWO 2013 The Modern Game Promotional Society has spent 5 months researching and developing the scheme to a National level with the name NAPIS to give the scheme its own identity. An open invitation to all Breeds of Poultry to join the optional trial of lifelong leg bands will be sent out in February 2013. Breeder participation to NAPIS is free with the cost of the rings plus a small fee for postage being the only cost. The NAPIS Management Committee will continue to correspond with all State Poultry Bodies and Poultry clubs to promote the scheme so that they can keep their members informed and up to date. Training Manuals for Ring Administrators will be developed that will have clear instructions on how to manage the scheme as well as how to document the required information. Feedback forms will be provided to all breeders to complete including the age their birds were rung, any problems that were encountered, date that birds were rung, whether they were incubated and raised in a brooder or hatched and reared by a hen, how the ring size complimented the different breeds, etc. This information will be reviewed and the collected data will be published to give guidelines on approximate age when to ring birds and approximate cut off times, taking into consideration, the climate, the weather, the location of the stud and of course, the feeding and rearing conditions of the birds. NAPIS will continue to encourage all State Bodies and Poultry Clubs to Have Biosecurity guidelines available on their Web Pages and aid in providing information to their members. Copies of this presentation and the Biosecurity Guidelines will be sent to all State Bodies and Poultry clubs so that these can be available at their shows for Breeders and Exhibitors. Programs to promote Biosecurity amongst their members will be provided to assist the clubs.

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National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme Inc.

Management and Auditing of NAPIS

The Modern Game Promotional Society will provide all the funds that are required to implement the National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme such as the initial costs of Ordering Rings, the cost of the web page, advertising, and administration costs. Any funds generated from the sale of the rings will be used to compensate for the MGPS losses. All costs incurred and funds generated from the initiating process will be documented and available for audit. A NAPIS account will be opened with the commencement of the trial being extended to all breeds of poultry and all administration costs will be paid for with this account. All funds placed into this account by the Modern Game Promotional Society will be reimbursed to the Club. A reconciliation of the NAPIS account will be conducted and submitted for auditing. NAPIS is a non profit

• rganisation and as such no individual, club, society or government run agency will profit from this scheme.

NAPIS has been designed for all exhibition poultry breeders and exhibitors to benefit from any profits that the Ringing Scheme generates. During the implementation phase of NAPIS, a process report will be generated and the system will be subjected to outside audits to ensure the transparency and integrity of the scheme. An online Spreadsheet of the National Ring Recipient Register is being developed. The program will ensure that all information regarding the ring recipients is kept in a hidden folder and remains totally confidential. The program could also include a feature that will allow a Ring Steward to update an order and an email will be automatically sent to the Ring Registrar and Deputy Ring Registrar advising them of the change by highlighting them in yellow. There could also be a feature where if an email is sent from a breeder with an

• rder, the program will automatically update the order without Manual entry. Meetings will be held with the

Computer Programmer to establish the requirements needed for the continued growth of NAPIS. As promoters of the NAPIS scheme the Modern Game Promotional Society has elected a Management Committee and sub Committee of Ring Administrators to give NAPIS its Own Identity. As the scheme increases with Breeders and ring orders, if required this committee will select more Ring Stewards from each state to help with the processing of ring orders and the distribution of rings. New administrators will be given a copy of the Constitution and Code of Conduct. The code of Conduct must be signed prior to their role being effective. The current Management Committee, will Manage NAPIS for up to 5 Years until the Scheme is fully

• perable.

The Management Committee roles are as follows: The Implementation Manager will oversee the Australian National Poultry Identification Scheme by developing all project processes relating to the needs of the organization. They will also develop an implementation process that meets the required completion time frame and is within budget. They will

• rganize and Preside Management meetings and provide all Correspondence letters, Guidance Material and

minutes to Poultry State Bodies and Poultry Clubs and liaise with all Government Regulatory Departments in Relation to Biosecurity and implementation matters.

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National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme Inc.

The Senior Advisor will assist the Implementation Manager and Promotions Coordinator and take on the role of Implementation Manager if the Implementation Manager is absent. They will also provide advice to the management committee as needed to maintain Best Practice and prepare management reports for any Code of Conduct Breaches. The Promotions Coordinator will develop and coordinate advertising and promotion campaigns and present these ideas to meetings for implementation. The Document and Web Coordinator will assist the Implementation Manager with implementing

• documents. They will maintain, update and file all documents and also update the Web Site.

The Ring Registrar will oversee the Ringing Scheme by updating the Ring Recipients Register and allocating a Breeder number to the registered breeder with all ring orders received from State Ring

• Stewards. They will order the rings, record the Ring numbers and send to State Ring Stewards for

Distribution to the Breeders. All banking accounts will be reconciled and they will prepare a financial report and statement of receipts and expenditure for Auditing. The Deputy Ring Registrar will assist the Ring Registrar and if required Act as Ring Registrar in the Ring Registrar's absence. The Ring Registrar will also coordinate a subcommittee with State Ring Administrators and preside in any meetings. Once the National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme is fully operable, the Ring Administrators will be elected by the participating Poultry State Bodies for a 3 year term. Nomination Forms will be sent to the participating Poultry State Bodies who will then elect (by vote) the Ring Administrators from their state. Once elected all Ring Administrators will hold a special meeting and elect the Management Committee - Implementation Manager, Senior Advisor, Ring Registrar, Deputy Ring Registrar, Promotions Coordinator and Document and Web Coordinator. A handover period for any new administrators will be provided, thus enabling all training to be completed so that the new committee has the skills to manage the scheme successfully. Any profit that may be generated will be given to each state controlling body, in equal proportions and donated to the royal show in their state as a cash prize for the best bird in show award and acknowledgement of this donation is to go to NAPIS. This is open for negotiation by all parties such as a fighting fund to combat local council by-laws on the keeping of poultry or anything else of merit pertaining to the exhibition poultry industry as seen fit by the administrators of the program.

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National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme Inc.

BIOSECURIY

The following guidelines are from the DAFF (Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry). Some key points have been listed below and the full Manual is available for download on the DAFF website www.daff.gov.au All manuals will be available on the NAPIS web page. www.napis.webs.com or copies can be supplied on request. Int Introduc roducti tion

• n

Most bird owners already practice good Biosecurity without realising it, as these simple practices are common-sense and easily integrated into routine activities. It is important that owners encourage one another to be Biosecurity-conscious, and it is essential that shows make Biosecurity a high priority to ensure the health and safety of all participants, and protect the future of poultry exhibition as an enjoyable nationwide pastime. Following these guidelines will assist stud breeders and exhibitors to keep their birds healthy and free from disease, as well as contribute to the overall safety and Biosecurity of all bird gatherings and demonstrate our sector’s commitment to responsible practices. What i t is B s Biosec iosecurity? rity? ‘Biosecurity’ describes the systems put in place to protect people, animals and ecological systems against disease and other biological threats. Biosecurity is achieved through the practices that aim to prevent the entry, establishment and spread of diseases. Good Practice: covers all aspects of husbandry involved in breeding and exhibiting poultry. Traceability: is the process of locating animals and people that may have been exposed to an infectious disease, with the purpose of advising them of their exposure and determining if their animals have been infected and containment of such out breaks. Having good Biosecurity measures in place is the key to avoiding pest and disease incursions on your

• property. The following eight simple steps will help prevent disease outbreaks in your poultry.
• 1. Keep your equipment and poultry yard clean
• 2. Avoid contact between your poultry and wild birds
• 3. Don’t let feed and water become contaminated by bird droppings (faeces) or other animal waste
• 4. If you go to shows practice good hygiene
• 5. Limit visitors to your birds
• 6. Quarantine new birds and birds returning home from shows
• 7. Know the signs of disease
• 8. Immediately report any sick or dead poultry

Remember, the best way to protect YOUR birds is to improve your own Biosecurity using the 8 principles

• utlined above.

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National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme Inc.

Individu Individual B l Biosec iosecur urit ity plans y plans Individuals should:

• 1. Have a comprehensive Biosecurity plan, based upon the guidance provided above.
• 2. Develop a Biosecurity checklist that is reviewed and updated regularly.
• 3. Keep a journal (the supplied breeders log book) of all matters concerned with Biosecurity.

Bird show p ird show particip rticipants and nts and orga rganise nisers rs What c t can bird n bird exhibi xhibitors do tors do?

• 1. All bird equipment and permanent carrying containers should be cleaned and disinfected before and

after a show, or better still, disposable plastic containers should be used for waterers.

• 2. While at the show, exhibitors should not handle birds other than their own, but if this is necessary,

exhibitors should always thoroughly wash their hands between birds.

• 3. On returning home, show birds should always undergo a period of quarantine before re-introduction to

the flock.

• 4. Keep a register (the supplied breeders log book) of all bird movements in and out of your premises,

particularly to shows.

• 5. Do not take any birds to a show if there are signs of illness in your flock.

What c t can judges do n judges do? Judges also handle many birds from different properties, and disinfecting clothing and hands between birds is not always possible. In these situations, viral diseases such as avian influenza, if present, could spread rapidly from one bird to the next. Judges should take care to keep their clothing and equipment clean, disinfect hands between handling birds and do not handle sick birds. It is strongly recommended that judges should wash hands and, if possible, change their overcoat between judging of waterfowl and other poultry. What c t can show n show orga rganise nisers do rs do? Show organisers and club members can also do their part by keeping adequate records of exhibitors and birds attending shows and club meetings. This will be essential to aid tracing the birds in the event of an

• utbreak of any emergency disease

The responsibility for implementing good Biosecurity rests with the individual breeder or exhibitor The Biosecurity information provided in this presentation is from the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry www.daff.gov.au

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Breeder Logbook

NAPIS

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Contacts

Name Address Phone Email

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National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme

Breeder Logbook Year:_______

Poultry breeders can use this logbook to keep an accurate record of ring-numbered birds and their movements via sales, gifts to other fanciers, and exhibitions and events. If a disease outbreak occurs, the logbook record will aid rapid tracing, containment and (if appropriate) treatment of birds. Accurately maintaining this logbook, along with good Biosecurity practice, will help all poultry breeders protect their birds.

Name Sign Date Address Phone number Email Rings numbers received From To

From To A10_____ A10_____ H20_____ H20_____ B12_____ B12_____ J22_____ J22_____ C13_____ C13_____ K24_____ K24_____ D14_____ D14_____ L26_____ L26_____ E15_____ E15_____ M28_____ M28_____ F16_____ F16_____ N30_____ N30_____ G18_____ G18_____ P32_____ P32_____

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Foreword

Welcome to the NAPIS closed ring scheme and thank you for participating in this extremely important venture. We see this program as a means of protecting the exhibition poultry industry from potential disease outbreaks. It is imperative that we (as a group of professional hobbyists) work together to prevent outbreaks and improve outbreak preparedness.

How to use the logbook

All forms in this booklet with blue headings must be filled in. All forms with orange headings are optional; only fill them in if you want to use them for your own records.

Step One: Personalise your logbook

Complete the form on page three which records your name and contact details. You should also sign where indicated and record the date you receive your logbook. NAPIS rings come in sizes to fit all poultry. The size is depicted by a letter (as shown on the Ring Size Chart on page 19). In addition, each ring you receive will have a unique identification number. So your ring identification number will look something like this: A103987. Take care to accurately enter the range of your ring numbers (e.g. 1111 to 1117) in the correct size category (e.g. D14). Example:

From To

From To A10_____ A10_____ H20_____ H20_____ B12_____ B12_____ J22_____ J22_____ C13_____ C13_____ K24_____ K24_____ D141111 D141117 L26_____ L26_____ E15_____ E15_____ M28_____ M28_____ F16_____ F16_____ N30_____ N30_____ G18_____ G18_____ P32_____ P32_____

15 Hold the bird with one hand so that its tail and wing are pushed up against your chest (as shown above). Take the left leg and lightly press the three front toes together and slide the ring over the toes. Keep sliding the ring

• ver the ball of the foot.

The back toe will fold up the leg. The bird is now ringed. The size is correct as the fit is snug but not tight. Note the numbers on the band are the right way up.

Step Two: Leg banding

These instructions are provided to assist you in avoiding placement of rings on the wrong leg, upside down or of the wrong sized ring. Each breed has a dedicated ring size allocated for that breed. For example, all modern game females have a ring number starting with the letter A (size A), and all modern game males will have a ring number starting with the letter B (size B). Consult the size chart on page 19

• f this logbook to see all the ring sizes for the different breeds and sexes.
• 1. Take the bird and hold it so that its tail and wing are pushed up against your chest.
• 2. Take hold of the left foot and manuvre the three front toes together and hold them in

place with your fingers.

• 3. Hold the ring so that the numbers and letters are right way up, and then carfully slide

the ring over the three front toes and onto the leg. Don't worry about the back toe as the ring will slide up and over this toe. The ring needs to be a snug but not a tight fit when getting it over the ball of the foot. Leg banding may take some practice and it is important to know when to put the ring on. If the chicks are too young, the ring may fall off, but it will be also be very difficult to get a ring over the ball of the foot if the chick is too old. If you are having trouble with leg banding, contact a ring committee member and they will talk you through the process.

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Step Three

Once your bird is leg banded, record its ring number in your logbook (if you have not already done so). Note that using the ring numbers as a reference, you can use the logbook to track the offspring of your birds progeny and therefore the performance of your breeding

• pairs. The logbook can thus act as a valuable tool for improving stock.

Step Four

Complete the Null and Void chart on page 17 of this logbook to record any lost or unused rings, including those from mortalities. Keep any unused rings on a piece of wire for your records. Your records in the ‘mortalities’ section may indicate whether a particular breeding pair results in higher than usual mortality rates.

Step Five

Record any birds sold, loaned or given away (and the new owner’s details), as well as any birds purchased or received. Recording the date is important as this can be used to determine whether birds were sold before or after an outbreak of disease. For example, if you purchased birds from a breeder whose flock showed signs of disease a couple of days later, they could quickly make contact and advise you to keep your purchased birds in isolation until they are checked by a vet and either given a clean bill of health or

• destroyed. This could protect the rest of your flock from possible infection.

Use the ‘Reconciliation’ chart on page seven to establish that all rings are accounted for.

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THE FOLLOWING ARE THE TITLES THAT ARE IN THE BREEDER LOG BOOK of which extra pages for each title are provided.

NULL AND VOID RING CHART Unused Lost Mortalities and culled birds RING RECONCILIATION CHART Total no. of rings from Null and Void chart A Total number of rings purchased D Total no. of rings from sold or given away birds B Total no. of rings from bought birds or from birds given or loaned to me. E Total from boxes A plus B C Total no. of rings from boxes D plus E F Total no. of rings from boxes F minus C will equal the no. of rings in use G BIRDS SOLD, LOANED OR GIVEN AWAY Ring no. Date of sale Name of new owner Address of new owner A2651 26/11/12 Ernie Example 21 Chook Breeder Avenue, Sydney, NSW, 2541 BIRDS BOUGHT, BORROWED OR RECEIVED AS GIFTS Ring no. Date received Name of previous

• wner

Address of previous owner POULTRY SHOWS ATTENDED This chart is to track the poultry shows that I have attended for the year and to record the performance of my entries. Date Shows attended Ring no. Description and sex of bird Placing BIRDS PLACED INTO QUARANTINE CHART This chart is to record any birds that have been placed into quarantine on my property (such as birds that have been purchased, loaned or given to me). Ring no. Date of quarantine Reason for quarantine

18 BIRDS TAKEN OUT OF QUARANTINE CHART This chart is to record any birds that have been taken out of quarantine and placed into the established flock. Ring no. Date taken out

• f quarantine

Result MORTALITY RECORD (This chart is to record deaths and cause of death. Record these ring numbers in the chart on page seven.) Date Ring No. Cause BREEDING PERFORMANCE RECORD This section is for recording egg laying performance, male bird fertility and parenting capability. These records can be compared each year to track any improvement or decline in the performance of your birds. Pen N° Hen ring ID and number of eggs laid Cock ring ID and number of progeny Date of breeding N° hatched toe marks Offspring ring numbers POULTRY VACCINATION AND WORMING CHART (What, why and how poultry receive medication and the result) Date administered Product administered Quantity administered Method of administering Results POULTRY EXPENSES CHART This chart is designed to keep a track of expenses. It can be used to identify savings. Include feed, medication, entry fees and other purchases. Date Description of purchase and from whom Cost $ GENERAL NOTES, CONTACTS, PHONE NUMBERS OR ADDRESSES

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Measuring the shank with vernier callipers Measuring the ball of the foot with vernier callipers

National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme

NAPIS RING SIZES Birds of the same breed may vary in size depending on their sex and strain. Thus, one Pit Game hen may be larger boned than that produced by another breeder. For this reason, NAPIS supplies rings based on leg size rather than breed or sex. The NAPIS rings vary in

• ne to two millimetre increments and are available in sizes to fit ALL poultry.

The ring size chart on page 20 lists the ring sizes. Prior to ordering rings, each individual breeder will need to measure the leg size of his or her adult poultry to choose the correct

• size. Please contact a committee member for further advice if needed.

MEASURING YOUR BIRD'S LEGS Measure the leg from the front to the back (the shank is usually the widest part of the leg) as this measurement will give you the smal malles est size ring you can use without damaging the shank. Then measure the ball of the foot, from the front to the back, with the back toe pushed down into the rest of the foot. This measurement will give you an idea of the larg argest size ring you can use. Choose a size between these two measurements for a ring that will not slip off over the ball of the foot or be too tight on the bird’s shank. The ring is durable, lightweight, and only six millimetres high with rounded edges. Experience has shown it is not intrusive or harmful to birds. Birds should be ringed at an age where the ring will slide snugly over the ball of the foot and stay there as the bird continues to grow. The older the bird is when rung, the better the chance of determining its sex. It is recommended to try ringing at six weeks and if the ring slides off, try again at subsequent weeks until the ring does not slide off easily. Vernier callipers are ideal for taking leg measurements as they will leave you with a free hand to hold the bird. Alternately, use a tape measure and have a second person hold the

• bird. A size in the middle of the two will be the correct size, remembering the bigger the

ring the better.

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NAPIS RING SIZE CHART Size Breed and Sex Quantity A10 B12 C13 D14 E15 F16 G18 H20 J22 K24 L26 M28 N30 P32 Ring Size The ring size is a combination of letter and number. The number corresponds with the internal circumference in millimetres. This means the inner circumference of an A10 ring is ten millimetres.

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National Australian Poultry Identification Scheme

Ring Order Form

To place an order for your NAPIS poultry rings, use the size chart to tally the quantity of each ring size you require and then enter that number in the order form below. Enter your contact details in the space provided and then mail your order form to: Graeme Rantall: 11 pine street, Keith, SA 5267. PH 0447 165 487 Or Email: groeldan@hotmail.com Amanda Fulcher: P.O. Box 939, Murray Bridge, SA 5253. PH (08) 8572 6076 Email: jeffrey.fulcher@bigpond.com.au Payment Details: Cheques / Money Orders to be made out to NAPIS and sent with orders. The following Ring Stewards will assist in the distribution of rings.

Your state Ring steward’s name Ring steward address Queensland Geoff Reimers 4 Mill Lane, Rosewood, QLD 4340. PH (07) 5635 0121 Greg Popplewell 33 Tom Schmidt Crt, Mt Samson, QLD 4520. PH (07) 3289 4718 New South Wales Tim Hamilton 48 Koree Island Road, Beechwood, NSW 2446. PH 0488 554 828 Rod Laverty Bonnie Doon, Deniliquin, NSW 2710. PH (03) 5882 4314 Victoria Kristina Kinsella Willindons Road, Drumborg, VIC 3304. PH (03)5527 9261 Michael Holmes P.O Box 1327, Wangaratta, VIC 3676. PH (03)5722 4421 South Australia Graeme Rantall 11 pine street, Keith, SA 5267. PH 0447 165 487 Amanda Fulcher P.O. Box 939, Murray Bridge, SA 5253. PH (08) 8572 6076 West Australia Graeme McLevie 26 Princess Street, Huntingdale, WA 6110. PH (08) 9398 6508 Margaret Oxley 10 Douglas street, Bunbury, WA 6230. PH (08) 9721 8379 Tasmania To be advised Send to Kristina Kinsella in Victoria. PH (03)5527 9261 To be advised Send to Micheal Holmes in Victoria. PH (03)5722 4421 Northern Territory Stephen Hester 55 Setosa Road, Humpty Doo NT 0836. PH 0415 866 891 Ring size Quantity Ring size Quantity Your name A10 H20 Your postal Address B12 J22 C13 K24 D14 L26 E15 M28 Phone Number F16 N30 Mobile G18 P32 Email address Total Rings (quantity) Total rings @ 20 cents per ring $ Plus Postage @ $2.50 per hundred $ Total Amount $

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