Sheepmeat Council of Australia - Animal Health and the sheepmeat industry

Monday, 06 February 2012

Sheepmeat Council of Australia (SCA) represents the interests of Australian sheepmeat producers across the Australian national animal health system. SCA is committed to improving on-farm animal health and welfare to enhance Australia’s competitive advantage and improve access into key export markets.

Improving Animal Health in Australia

SCA is an industry member of Animal Health Australia (AHA), a not-for-profit company established by the Australian Government, state and territory governments and major national livestock industries.

SCA works closely with AHA to deliver the national animal health system’s strategic priorities for improving animal and human health, market access, food safety and quality, animal welfare, livestock productivity, biosecurity and in the preparedness for emergency animal diseases.

Sheepmeat Industry Levy

Australian sheepmeat levy funds are invested in the following core and special programs at AHA:

Animal Disease Surveillance Program
Animal Health Services Program
Emergency Animal Disease Preparedness Program
Disease Risk Mitigation Program
Training Programs
Livestock Welfare Program

Sheepmeat Council is involved in the following AHA programs:

Ovine Johne's Disease

As of 1 January 2011 there will be changes to ovine Johne’s disease (OJD) Prevalence Areas in Western Australia, Victoria and some regions of NSW (view a map showing all changes).

Why are prevalence areas changing?

Changes are the consequence of an increasing prevalence of OJD over the past two years in some regions, which has pushed these areas above their allocated prevalence area cut-off under the OJD Management Plan 2007 – 2012.

Amendments will be made to the following OJD Prevalence Areas:

‐ New South Wales: changes to all Medium Prevalence Area boundaries and Low Prevalence Area
boundaries (refer to the Prevalence Area Map);
‐ Victoria: the Medium Prevalence Area will become a High Prevalence Area, and the Low Prevalence
Area will change to a Medium Prevalence Area; and
‐ Western Australia: the Low Prevalence Area will become a Medium Prevalence Area.

There will be no changes to prevalence areas in Queensland, South Australia or Tasmania. However, Sheepmeat Council and WoolProducers Australia caution producers in these states not to be complacent.

Read SCA's media release announcing the changes

OJD Management Plan

The OJD Management Plan commenced on 31 March 2008. The Management Plan is a five-year program that was developed by Sheepmeat Council, WoolProducers Australia (WPA) and Animal Health Australia in consultation with industry stakeholders.

The OJD Management Plan will:

Provide improved trading opportunities for producers who actively manage the disease through the use of the Assurance Based Credit (ABC) Scheme.
Include abattoir surveillance to estimate regional Prevalence Areas and for the early detection of infection in Low Prevalence Areas;
Encourage the use of vaccination and the implementation of grazing management practices to minimise the exposure of stock to the disease;

Promote the benefits of active biosecurity planning at the individual property and regional level as a means of managing disease risk and promote use of the Sheep Health Statement.

Learn further about the OJD Management Plan
For further information visit the official OJD website
Read a Sheepmeat Council opinion piece on OJD

National Arbovirus Monitoring Program
The National Arbovirus Monitoring Program (NAMP) monitors the distribution of economically important arboviruses (i.e. insect-borne viruses) of livestock and their vectors in Australia. These viruses include bluetongue, Akabane and bovine ephemeral fever (BEF). NAMP is jointly funded by the cattle, sheep and goat industries and the state, territory and Australian governments.

TSE Freedom Assurance Program
The purpose of the TSE Freedom Assurance Program is to enhance market confidence that Australian animals and animal products are free from TSEs through the structured and nationally integrated management of animal-related TSE activities.
Australian Ruminant Feed Ban – Livestock Producers

National Johne’s Disease Control Program
This program aims to reduce the spread and the impact of Johne’s disease in Australia and includes the OJD program.

Screw Worm Fly Preparedness Project
This project aims to develop and maintain a Screw Worm Fly Preparedness Strategy consistent with the risks associated with an incursion in Australia.
Fact Sheet

AUSVETPLAN
AUSVETPLAN is a series of technical response plans that describe the proposed Australian approach to an exotic disease incursion

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Vaccine Management
This program aims to ensure that Australia has access to FMD vaccines in the event of an outbreak.

Farm biosecurity

Farm biosecurity is designed to help secure your property against pests and diseases. Sheepmeat Council has been actively involved in the development of the Farm Biosecurity program, facilitated by AHA

Simple principles and practices will help you protect your livestock from the pests and diseases that are more common to Australian livestock and prevent help to prevent an emergency animal disease outbreak.

In the case of an emergency animal disease outbreak, following Farm Biosecurity principles will allow early diagnosis, restrict spread, speed eradication and help protect livestock on-farm and the livestock industry.

Visit the Farm Biosecurity website to learn about simple measures and tools that livestock producers can implement as part of their day to day operations.

View the Sheep Industry’s Biosecurity Plan

Watch the informational videos on biosecurity. The six short videos are a great reminder of what landholders and travelling farm workers should be considering when it comes to positive biosecurity practices.

EMERGENCY ANIMAL DISEASE WATCH HOTLINE
1800 675 888

The Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline is a toll-free number that connects callers to the relevant state or territory officer to report concerns about any potential emergency animal disease situation.

If you see unusual disease symptoms, abnormal behaviour or unexpected deaths in your stock, immediately call your veterinarian or the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline

National Sheep Health Statement

The National Sheep Health Statement includes a nationally agreed declaration for a number of significant conditions including OJD, footrot, ovine brucellosis and lice. Prospective buyers of sheep are able to assess the risk a line of sheep represents to their own flock. Sheepmeat Council recommends that producers request a National Health Statement from the owner when buying or agisting sheep to ensure they do not pose a disease or health risk to their flock.

Learn more about the National Health Sheep Statement

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