Biosecurity allows us to maintain trade in export markets while increasing our opportunities to access new markets.

Government departments and industry groups provide leadership and regulations which protect us from incursion of pests and diseases on a broader scale. Farm Biosecurity is another matter, it’s our own responsibility.

Farm Biosecurity are measures or a plan which are implemented to protect a property or area from entry and spread of pests, diseases and weeds.

The ramifications (all of which we have seen) of allowing the spread of these are massive. They affect your business through:

increased costs, monitoring, production practices, additional chemical and labour, reduced, productivity, yield and/or quality, and loss of markets.

There are five broad management areas that should be managed to reduce the risk of pests, diseases and weeds.

Farm Inputs

Livestock, feed, fertilisers and chemicals are the most common way of introducing pests, diseases and weeds to your farming operation. The best way to manage these risks is to inspect all of these inputs prior to purchase or receival. Only buy livestock from reliable vendors that are accompanied with a sheep health statement and an NVD. Quarantine these livestock from others on your property for a few months, monitor the health of the livestock but also monitor the paddock there in to observe any unfamiliar or unwanted weeds that may have also made the journey. Buying livestock in our region will certainly reduce the introduction of “new” problems. One example that springs to mind is the drench resistant barber’s pole worm from up north. If the purchased livestock do show signs of illness, be sure to give Jim our district vet a call. 

Purchasing stockfeed from off farm may not be as straight forward. Requesting a Commodity/By-product Vendor Declaration (C/BVD) can alert the purchaser to any chemicals that have been applied and whether any withholding periods apply. Physically inspecting the feed before purchase may give an indication of the presence of weeds.

Farm Outputs

Your responsibility doesn’t end when your livestock or products leave your property.

The principles of “is it fit to load” need to be evaluated at this point. Diseased/injured animals should not be moved from your property. Vet assistance should be called upon. An appropriate NVD and animal health statement should accompany the livestock.

People, vehicles and equipment

These three categories can unintentionally introduce pests, diseases and weeds to your property. Having  few entry points, locking of restricted areas, having visitors report to an office upon arrival, the use of motion activated cameras, protective clothing, wash down bays for visiting vehicles are all actions that  can reduce these risks.

Production Practices

The way in which you manage your livestock goes a long way to limiting the spread of disease on your property. Having an accurate and up to date record of drenches, vaccinations, location of mobs etc. will improve your response should there be a need to implement quarantine or isolation of mobs.

As earlier mentioned quarantining introductions and drenching and vaccinating these livestock is a must.

Inspection and repair of perimeter fencing will ensure your stock stay in and stray stock and feral animals out.

The usage of chemicals taking into account withholding periods and export slaughter intervals is extremely important when selling products off farm.

Having a thorough understanding of chemicals ensures that those buying our products can be confident of the highest of quality.

Feral animals and weeds

Feral animals affect the biosecurity of your property in many ways. The diseases that they carry and transfer will have repercussions. There is even research currently to see whether foxes are involved in the transfer of sheep measles. Feral pigs can also carry diseases that affect fertility of breeding females.

The Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline should be contacted if you notice anything unusual on 1800 675 888.