Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a viral disease of cattle that can impact production and trade of live animal and animal products. It is spread by biting insects such as midges, ticks and mosquitoes, movement of and through contact with infected animals. The most likely way LSD could enter Australia is by insects being carried across from Indonesia via strong winds during monsoonal weather or infected insect vectors entering on returning vessels.
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, deer and camels. FMD can spread through contact between infected animals, movement of infected animals, localised spread of airborne particles carried by the wind, and through movement of contaminated animal products, vehicles, equipment.
Symptoms include slobbering, shivering, reluctance to walk, sores and blisters on feet and gums and decreased milk production.
The recent detections of LSD and FMD in Indonesia highlight the importance of having strong biosecurity systems in place on your farm. Now is the time to review, enhance and most importantly implement your bio security plan to ensure good on-farm and supply chain biosecurity practices.
Biosecurity measures include keeping a register of all visitors on the property, having farm gate signage, ensuring visiting vehicles don’t have access to areas livestock are in, keeping accurate records of livestock movements and isolating any new stock for a period of time.
An additional biosecurity measure is to ensure that your farm visitors and livestock workers returning from overseas holidays, where they have had direct or indirect contact with farm animals while travelling, are aware of the importance of making accurate border biosecurity declarations and don’t have direct contact with livestock for 7 days after their return.
BE AWARE AND TAKE CARE!