Biosecurity practices should aim to improve the health and welfare of livestock and the productivity and integrity of the Australian red meat industry.
Strong biosecurity in Australia protects the value of key industries and market access to export markets internationally.
Implementing strong biosecurity practices can help protect your business from a range of potential biosecurity risks such as pests, disease and weeds. Implementing a biosecurity plan that is tailored towards your personal business helps you prepare and maintain better on-farm biosecurity.
Preparing an on-farm plan will allow you to identify biosecurity strengths and weaknesses and what you can do to minimize biosecurity risks to your business
Farm Biosecurity have available resources to support this effort:
Another useful resource from Animal Health Australia, is this video on 6 easy steps to completing your on-farm biosecurity plan.
Recommended practices when transacting on AuctionsPlus:
As a Vendor, prepare all required documentation, such as your National Vendor Declaration (NVD) or Health Statements and that information provided is clear and correct. Ensure livestock are appropriately tagged, have maintained condition and are free from disease prior to delivery.
As a Buyer, ensure you receive required paperwork and thoroughly inspect the stock upon arrival. Make sure you report any issues that may exist to AuctionsPlus within 48 hours of receiving the lot to be protected by our User Agreement. For more info, see here: The Dispute Process - How do I make a claim?
As a Selling Agent, attending Delivery can ensure that all livestock are fit and healthy to load for their destination, or allow you to address any issues that may have arisen since assessment.
Gate signs to the entrance of your property or business, can help prevent people, vehicles and equipment from introducing a biosecurity risk by advising what visitors need to do before entry.
For more information, please visit Farm Biosecurity: Gate sign
“Be alert, not alarmed”
Australia is currently free from both FMD & LSD and our priority is to keep it that way.
Should either disease reach Australia the impact on Australia’s red meat and livestock industries would be extremely serious.
Should you have concerns, or be suspicious about the present of an Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) the first thing you should do is call the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
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LSD is a contagious viral disease that affects cattle (both beef & dairy) and water buffalo. It does not affect humans and has never been recorded in Australia. Lumpy Skin Disease is primarily spread by biting flies, mosquitoes and midges; or by the movement of infected animals or contaminated products and equipment.
Symptoms of LSD include:
Discharge from eyes & nose (usually observed first)
High fever
Appearance of firm skin nodules (lumps) of 2-5cm in diameter, particularly on the head, neck, limbs, udder (within 48 hours of onset of fever)
Loss of body condition
Incubation period is usually between 4-14 days post-infection, but can be up to 28 days.
More information can be found at Animal Health Australia: Lumpy skin disease
FMD is a highly contagious animal disease that affects all cloven-hoofed animals (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, buffalo, camelids and deer). There is no threat to human health from this disease and there have been no reported cases of FMD in Australia.
Symptoms of FMD include:
May show fever, drooling and lethargy
Animals can suffer from blisters on the mouth, snout, tongue, lips or between and above the hooves on the feet
Blisters may be intact or ruptured, exposing painful raw tissue
More information can be found at Animal Health Australia: Foot and mouth disease
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