Published Monday, 04 December, 2006 at 09:58 AM
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
INSPECTORS IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL
Dedicated Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries biosecurity inspectors have closed the door on another day at the office after 442 days camping out in the bush and a successful tuberculosis eradication campaign.
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said DPI&F program co-ordinator Rod Robertson was one of the 22 DPI&F officers who spent 63 nights camped out in the bush testing 33,000 cattle.
“This was the first program to employ National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) devices to test the cattle,” Mr Mulherin said.
“The changes required staff overcoming the challenges of new technology and new work arrangements, as well as prolonged exposure to basic conditions in the stock camps and a relatively harsh environment.
“But it’s all in a day’s work for blokes such as Rod, and nothing less than would be expected by cattle producers whose workers often camp out for months at a time.”
NLIS tags were used to identify all tested animals which made it easier to account for stock throughout the program.
The control program commenced after two aged-cows from the property were diagnosed with tuberculosis.
Destocking of older cattle and tuberculin testing of the remaining cattle started on the property in 2002 under nationally agreed procedures.
A seasoned stock inspector, Mr Robertson, said abattoir surveillance would be maintained on cattle moved from the property as a precautionary measure.
“A specific surveillance process will also be possible through the application of NLIS technology,” Mr Robertson said.
“This was the last Queensland herd to be identified with tuberculosis and the completion of testing is a milestone in the tuberculosis eradication campaign.”
Australia was declared free of tuberculosis in 1997, according to criteria laid down by the International Organisation for Animal Health.
Since the 1997 declaration, monitoring and surveillance has been preformed under the Tuberculosis Freedom Assurance Program to detect and eradicate minor disease outbreaks.
Media: 323 96530
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said DPI&F program co-ordinator Rod Robertson was one of the 22 DPI&F officers who spent 63 nights camped out in the bush testing 33,000 cattle.
“This was the first program to employ National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) devices to test the cattle,” Mr Mulherin said.
“The changes required staff overcoming the challenges of new technology and new work arrangements, as well as prolonged exposure to basic conditions in the stock camps and a relatively harsh environment.
“But it’s all in a day’s work for blokes such as Rod, and nothing less than would be expected by cattle producers whose workers often camp out for months at a time.”
NLIS tags were used to identify all tested animals which made it easier to account for stock throughout the program.
The control program commenced after two aged-cows from the property were diagnosed with tuberculosis.
Destocking of older cattle and tuberculin testing of the remaining cattle started on the property in 2002 under nationally agreed procedures.
A seasoned stock inspector, Mr Robertson, said abattoir surveillance would be maintained on cattle moved from the property as a precautionary measure.
“A specific surveillance process will also be possible through the application of NLIS technology,” Mr Robertson said.
“This was the last Queensland herd to be identified with tuberculosis and the completion of testing is a milestone in the tuberculosis eradication campaign.”
Australia was declared free of tuberculosis in 1997, according to criteria laid down by the International Organisation for Animal Health.
Since the 1997 declaration, monitoring and surveillance has been preformed under the Tuberculosis Freedom Assurance Program to detect and eradicate minor disease outbreaks.
Media: 323 96530