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Developing A Fire Plan For Livestock

The development of a fire plan that can be quickly implemented in the event of a fire can help to prevent stock losses. One of the key factors in minimising risk to stock is to identify the safest areas on the farm.

By Department of Primary Industries - 14th January 2004 - Back to News

On days of extreme fire danger stock should be moved to lower risk areas. Listen to the radio and observe your own environment to help you decide when to put your plan into action.

Lower fire risk areas include paddocks with green summer crops or lucerne, bare paddocks with no dry feed or a ploughed paddock. Firebreaks are imperative. They may be a bare laneway or a ploughed break. Cattle and sheep can be held in yards with bare or ploughed surrounds, which can be wet in advance, however the yards must be well defended as the fire front passes.

In the case of horses they should not be locked up in small areas or stables, but rather be moved into an open lower risk paddock so they can move freely. Horses are good at moving to safe open areas and suffer minimal burns if left to do so. All equipment including rugs, halters and flyveils should be removed as the plastic may melt and buckles may burn the animal.

Never let stock onto public roadways. In smoky conditions they will be a hazard to vehicles.

SALEYARDS GEAR UP FOR NLIS SCANNING IN 2004

Leanne Jones, Animal Health Officer, Department of Primary Industries, Hamilton

The introduction of the National Livestock Identification Scheme or NLIS makes it possible to quickly and accurately track cattle throughout their lives.

This helps producers by protecting and enhancing Victoria’s reputation as a supplier of safe, wholesome beef and dairy products, especially at a time when many countries worldwide are suffering the effects of Foot and Mouth and Mad Cow Disease.

From 1 January 2004, saleyard operators must scan all NLIS identified store cattle (including heifers, cows, and bulls purchased for breeding, and cattle purchased from prime sales for further grazing or feeding).

The scanned information (electronic tag numbers or RFID’s) is sent to the NLIS database by the saleyard operator along with the vendor’s Property Identification Code, the purchaser’s Property Identification Code, the National Vendor Declaration serial number and the date of the sale. The cattle are then transferred to the new owner.

These requirements also apply to public auctions held at other venues including on farms, and store cattle traded through public scale operations. These requirements do not yet apply to private sales or property-to-property movements (at this point, legislation relating to this is likely to be enacted in early 2005).

In May 2003, Victorian cattle producers were sent plastic cards on which was printed their Property Identification Code (PIC or ‘tail tag’ number). Please ensure that you have your PIC number when purchasing cattle. All buyers, including interstate buyers, are required by law to provide the selling agent with the PIC of the property to which the purchased cattle will be taken. Without PIC details of the buyer, purchased cattle can’t be transferred on the NLIS database to the new owner. If purchasers have lost their PIC card, they can bring along a 'tail tag'. The PIC number of their property is printed on each 'tail tag'. Replacement cards can be obtained by calling the DPI Helpline on 1800 678 779 during business hours.

Eventually, when the database is regularly being notified of all cattle transactions, this system will replace the tail tag system. In the meantime tail tags are still needed in most instances to identify the vendor (who may not be the person who attached the NLIS tags carried by the cattle) and the property the cattle were last on.

Key Dates to Remember:
From 1^st January 2002

• All cattle born after 1^st January 2002 must be tagged with a white NLIS Breeder Tag before leaving their property of birth.
• Bobby calves for immediate slaughter and cattle consigned by the breeder from their property of birth directly to an abattoir are exempt from this requirement.

From 1^st January 2003

• All cattle, regardless of age, to be sold as store or breeding stock at a Victorian Saleyard, or being moved between Victorian properties must carry an NLIS tag at the time of dispatch.
• All cattle, arriving at a Victorian property (including from interstate) that are not already identified with an NLIS tag, must be tagged with an orange NLIS Post-breeder Tag within 30 days of their arrival on the property, or prior to being moved again off that property.
• Abattoirs must read all NLIS tags and notify the NLIS database within 7 days of the cattle that they have processed.

From 1^st January 2004

• Saleyard operators must scan all NLIS identified store cattle and register transactions on the NLIS database.
• All cattle, except bobby calves sent from a Victorian property directly to an abattoir must carry an NLIS tag at the time of dispatch.
• NLIS tagging exemption in relation to cattle sent directly to an abattoir, mentioned in this point above, has been repealed as of 1^st January 2004.)

From early 2005

• All cattle, except bobby calves for immediate slaughter must carry an NLIS tag prior to dispatch from a Victorian property.
• Producers receiving NLIS tagged cattle as a result of a property-to-property movement must ensure that the transaction is registered on the NLIS database.

Other states are watching Victoria’s progress with admiration and interest, as they will soon be moving to implement the NLIS.

If you have any further enquiries please contact your local DPI office. For Bairnsdale call  5152 0600, Maffra 5147 0800, Leongatha 5662 9900, Ellinbank 5624 2222, or Box Hill 9296 4400, or call the DPI tag hotline on 1800 678 779.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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