May 30, 2018
Animal Health Australia has launched a new cattle surveillance trial based around inspections at abattoirs.
The “Grazing Beef Cattle Industry Structured Surveillance Study” is being supported by the Cattle Council of Australia (CCA) and funded by the Federal Government.
It has been described as a “new approach” to collecting data on animal health, to support trade and production in the grass-fed beef sector.
Cattle Council CEO Margo Andrae said the information collected would be used to guide producers to improve their on-farm biosecurity management strategies.
“By drawing the link between strong farm biosecurity practices and production impacts of endemic disease, we can demonstrate the value of implementing a biosecurity plan at the farm level,” Ms Andrae said.
“Data will be collected to identify which diseases are having the greatest impact in a given region, informing delivery of tailored biosecurity information and resources and empowering producers to focus their biosecurity plan on their greatest risks.”
The trial involves inspecting cattle at participating abattoirs for evidence of endemic disease.
AHA CEO Kathleen Plowman said the data collected would be of critical importance to maintain and improve access to international trade and was expected to help producers reduce the impact of disease on their businesses.
“This data will complement existing surveillance programs, which underpin our claims of freedom (from disease). So if you’re a cattle producer and are contacted to participate, we strongly encourage you to take part,” she said.
The study will run until the end of 2019, when it will be assessed for its suitability as an ongoing program.
