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What Does ‘Beef Only’ Imply In The Cattle Industry?

The January weaner sales are in full swing and a number of vendors advertise their cattle as ‘Beef Only’, so what does that indicate?

By Department of Primary Industries - 16th January 2009 - Back to News

The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) District Veterinary Officer Jack Winterbottom explains that beef cattle, which meet specific eligibility requirements ensuring they have a very low risk of having or spreading Johne’s disease, are sold as ‘Beef Only’ to ensure that they can be freely traded into New South Wales and Queensland.

"‘Beef Only’ cattle are beef cattle that have had no contact with dairy cattle or dairy cross cattle, and have not grazed pasture that previously was used to run adult dairy cattle," Mr Winterbottom said.

"As Johne’s disease mainly occurs in dairy cattle in southern Australia, ‘Beef Only’ recognises that there are very few pure beef herds known to have Johne’s disease and that testing of these types of herds has found that a great majority of them contain no test positive animals."

The assurance from ‘Beef Only’ comes from each herd’s own biosecurity and a history of trading only within that low risk sector of the cattle industry.

Mr Winterbottom said as a result of experiences with testing beef herds and following extensive trials of ‘Beef Only’ sales, the beef cattle industry and state animal health authorities agreed that cattle from herds that qualify as ‘Beef Only’ represent a low risk for bovine Johne’s disease.

"They also agreed that breeding cattle originating from herds that qualify as ‘Beef Only’ will be able to be traded into New South Wales and Queensland without the herd of origin having to be tested," he said.

So, beef herds in Victoria that meet the ‘Beef Only’ standard and declare it on an Animal Health Statement are able to move cattle into New South Wales and Queensland without testing.

Regular auditing by DPI staff will continue to ensure the integrity of the ‘Beef Only’ scheme.

Animal Health Statements (AHS) are available from livestock agents, DPI Animal Health staff or visit http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/farming/bjd.

For further advice please contact your nearest DPI Veterinary or Animal Health Officer at Ellinbank on 5624 2222, Leongatha on 5662 9900, Maffra on 5147 0800 or Bairnsdale on 5152 0600.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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