Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce

September 22, 2016

A tick-borne parasite which can kill both beef and dairy cattle still has no registered remedy available in Australia, although a drug has been identified for years which could be “highly effective”.

The Meat and Livestock Association (MLA) reported in 2013 that Bovine anaemia – caused by a protozoan parasite, Theileria orientalis, carried by ticks – was widespread throughout Australia.

“Based on literature searches, buparvaquone (BPQ) is expected to be a highly effective chemotherapeutic which is supported by efficacy studies,” the MLA noted at the time.

Stock losses from the illness, which can strike when cattle are stressed, were not considered high in 2013 and drug manufacturers had indicated the projected size of the market did not warrant the costs associated with getting BPQ registered with the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).

There were also fears that drug residues could affect Australian exports.

Producers – hoping for a change – have now told the ABC about a string of cattle deaths in Victoria where just one injection of BPQ may have saved the animals.

According to the ABC, virulent strains of the parasite are present in all Australian States.

But industry bodies and Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce have reiterated that they believe the potential risk to Australia’s meat and livestock exports outweighs BPQ’s benefits.

Tissue residue studies conducted by the NSW DPI and MLA in 2013 showed the drug could still be detected in the neck muscle (site of injection), the kidneys and liver of animals 147 days after they had been treated with BPQ.

And as major export partners have not set levels for BPQ, any detection would have serious consequences to Australian exports.

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On November 1, the Australian Johne’s Disease Market Assurance Program for Cattle (CattleMAP) will be scrapped.

“Feedback received by both producers and industry experts underscored the fact that whilst CattleMAP had served the industry well over the past 20 years, in this period of reform and deregulation the current CattleMAP format is no longer suitable,” Animal Health Australia spokesman Duncan Rowland said.

“CattleMAP numbers have fallen dramatically over the last decade to unsustainable levels, and participants have not received the expected benefits from being in the program.”

Mr Rowland said producers should now use the Johne’s Beef Assurance Score (J-BAS) and the Dairy Score for assessing risk of BJD.

Existing CattleMAP herds will transition to a J-BAS or Dairy Score of 8 – the highest assurance level.

This highest score requires a property biosecurity plan monitored by a veterinary adviser and testing.

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