THE northern Australian cattle production system is unique, presenting special challenges (and opportunities) for detecting diseases.
But how likely is it that a serious disease outbreak would be detected? And how does that likelihood change between the wet season and the dry season?
Producers either breeding cattle in northern Australia or receiving northern Australian cattle (e.g. for backgrounding) are an important part of Australia’s general surveillance system for northern cattle.
Geographic proximity to Asia means Northern Australia is regarded as higher-risk for exotic disease incursion.
Animal Health group Ausvet is inviting station managers/head stockmen from Northern Australia, or producers receiving cattle from Northern Australia, to participate in a survey focused on understanding how diseases are observed and reported in extensively managed cattle herds. Insights from the survey will be vital in helping to help protect our industries from serious diseases.
Ausvet has a multi-disciplinary team across Australia and South East Asia comprised of veterinary professionals and scientists dedicated to solving animal and human health problems in the real world under the WHO’s ‘One Health’ platform.
The survey is looking for participants among experienced owners, managers or stockmen who are familiar with general station operations and management statistics for the station (e.g. number of head of cattle). They are invited to complete an online survey (mostly pictures), likely to take no more than 10-15 minutes. Responses will be kept strictly confidential, with only summarised data being published.
- If you breed/produce extensively managed cattle in Northern Queensland, please complete this survey.
- If you breed/produce extensively managed cattle in the NT or northern WA, please complete this survey.
- If you background cattle from northern Australia, please complete this survey.
Respondents are asked to complete the survey by 28 September.
For more information, the full participant information sheet is available here.