Date: 02/05/2014
Bovine Johne’s disease (BJD) tracings in the Kimberley
industry update
3 Baron-Hay Court, South Perth, Western Australia 6151
Western Australia update
The Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) continues to work closely with
industry to maintain WA as a BJD Free Zone while minimising the impact on five Kimberley
properties under movement restrictions following the import of bulls from an infected property in
Queensland.
The National Johne’s Disease Control Program is an industry program and the Western Australian
cattle industry has supported maintaining WA as a BJD Free Zone. Test results to date indicate this
remains achievable, but this is subject to further testing and surveillance results. Movement
restrictions must be maintained and testing continued on each property until the requirements of the
national program have been satisfied. Testing is likely to be ongoing on the affected properties for
several years.
The department acknowledges the input from pastoralists and industry in responding to these BJD
traces, including funding of bull and herd testing by the Cattle Industry Funding Scheme.
Bull and herd testing
Bull and herd testing for the 2013 season has now been completed for the affected properties and all
results received. One property has had all movement restrictions lifted as a result of this
investigation. Five properties remain under movement restrictions.
293 bulls have been tested to date. As communicated in November, one bull has been confirmed as
shedding BJD bacteria although it was not displaying clinical signs. The impacted property is
destocking at-risk in-contact animals.
All other bulls have tested negative to BJD shedding. One of these bulls had evidence of infection but
was demonstrated not to be shedding BJD bacteria. This bull would have posed a risk of infection to
other animals in the future if it had not been culled as part of this program.
Around 2500 cattle have been tested from the herds on the five properties. All herd tests were
negative for faecal shedding.
Future testing and management
While these results show no evidence of BJD in the WA cattle herd, individual bull and herd testing is
not at a point where the BJD status of the remaining five affected WA properties can be finalised. For
this reason WA must continue surveillance testing on these properties in order to meet national
requirements and maintain WA’s Free Zone status.
Further location, culling and testing of the remaining imported bulls will take place in 2014. Routine
herd testing is not planned for 2014, but is likely to be undertaken in 2015. Resolution of this incident
is likely to require surveillance until 2018 unless all traced bulls are accounted for.
Movement of certain low-risk classes of cattle off restricted properties is allowed under permit and in
accordance with the National Johne’s Disease Control Program. Comprehensive conditions must be
met in order to allow movement of these animals. These movements are monitored and audited by
authorised DAFWA officers. In addition, some properties have had specified areas released from
quarantine in recognition of low level of risk.
Test results for the 2013 season have allowed a reassessment of the risk of different classes of cattle
and parts of properties, on a property by property basis. This will allow further trading of negligiblerisk cattle from these properties.
Import conditions
Additional import conditions for beef cattle from Queensland entering WA now apply.
These conditions have been introduced in response to industry concerns about the risk of introducing
BJD into the state. Additional requirements involve a herd-of-origin Cattle MAP status of MN2 or
MN3, or a negative herd ‘Check Test’ for BJD within 12 months prior to movement. Conditions of
entry for stock being moved into WA are set out in the Health Certificate for Movement of Stock into
Western Australia (LB1) available at agric.wa.gov.au
Important disclaimer
The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Agriculture and Food and the State of Western Australia
accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this
information or any part of it.
Copyright © Western Australian Agriculture Authority, 2013