Animal Health Australia (AHA) has called on livestock producers to take action on farm biosecurity as new research shows the vast majority do nothing to protect their animals from catching diseases from new stock.
The research, conducted in April and released yesterday, shows that only 37pc of livestock producers isolate new stock – and of those, almost half only quarantine them for a week or less.
AHA manager disease risk mitigation, Duncan Rowland, says that producers are taking significant risks, given that the science recommends that new stock be isolated for 10 days.
“Introducing new stock is the key way disease can enter properties," he warns.
"Keeping new or returning animals separate from the rest of the herd in a receival paddock is one of the simplest ways to protect your livestock and your business.
“A receival paddock is a place for new stock to adjust to their new environment and empty their stomachs of weed seeds.
"It also gives time for signs of any disease to show up before they are introduced to existing stock.”
Mr Rowland says that while AHA research earlier this year indicated a new interest in farm biosecurity, it was disappointing that so many producers had not learned the most basic lessons from the equine influenza outbreak here, and recent disease outbreaks overseas.
“The good news is that 84pc of those producers who do isolate new stock, report that their receival paddock is either double fenced, or some distance from other stock,” Mr Rowland says.
AHA is a not-for-profit public company established by the Australian Government, state and territory governments and major national livestock industry organisations.
* Any producer noticing unexpected or unusual signs of disease, abnormal behaviour or unexpected deaths in their stock should immediately call a veterinarian or the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline: 1800 675 888.