Date: 09 November 2015
The Western Australian cattle industry continues to work closely with the Department of
Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) to maintain WA as a BJD Free Zone while minimising the impact on three Kimberley properties that have been under movement restrictions following the importing of bulls from an infected property in Queensland.
The current
National Johne’s Disease Control Program (NJDCP) is an industry program and the
Western Australian cattle industry has supported maintaining WA as a BJD Free Zone while the
National BJD Strategic Plan review discusses future program changes. 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 current national program have been satisfied. Testing is likely to be ongoing on the affected properties for several years under the current program.
The department acknowledges the input from pastoralists and industry in responding to these BJD traces, including funding from the Cattle Industry Funding Scheme for bull and herd testing.
DAFWA has tested 317 bulls traced from Queensland. Of these, 314 bulls tested negative to shedding BJD bacteria in their faeces. Of the 314 bulls, three had evidence of early infection in tissues tested and would have posed a risk of infection to other animals if they had not been culled. One bull was confirmed as shedding BJD bacteria although it was not displaying clinical signs. The impacted property has destocked at-risk in-contact animals. Test results for two other bulls are awaiting finalisation.
Herd testing has been conducted this year as part of property management plans on three out of the five affected properties. As a result of this testing and working with the department to complete the requirements of their property management plans, two properties have been released from movement restrictions, while the third property is awaiting final results before their restrictions can be reassessed.
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 three affected WA properties can be finalised. For this reason WA must continue surveillance testing on these properties in order to meet current national requirements and maintain WA’s Free Zone status.

Movement of certain low-risk classes of cattle off restricted properties is allowed under permit and in accordance with the current 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. Test results from the 2013/14 and
2014/2015 seasons have allowed a reassessment of the risk of different classes of cattle and parts of properties, on a property-by-property basis. This has allowed further trading of negligiblerisk cattle from these properties.
Australia’s Animal Health Committee, which contributes technical advice on bovine Johne’s disease policy based on the requirements of industry, has recommended that industry review the
National Johne’s Disease Control Program (NJDCP) to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of industry.
Animal Health Australia (AHA) has been coordinating the National BJD Strategic Plan Review this year and released the draft framework for a new NJDCP on 2 November 2015. The framework document is available for public consultation and submissions until 18 November 2015.
Further information can be found by visiting the Animal Health Australia webpage: national BJD strategic plan review .
The review to date has recommended that BJD control in Australia should be managed by a producer-driven property-based market assurance program. Individual or groups of producers will be able to set their own program to manage the risk of BJD entering their property or properties.
To assist the cattle industry in WA to consider the options available to them, the department is facilitating the establishment of an industry BJD Advisory Group, chaired by an industry representative. The first meeting will occur on the 20 November 2015.
As this is an industry program, WA industry needs to be actively engaged and interested parties are encouraged to contact their representative industry bodies to ensure adequate representation of the WA industry as a whole.
Until the National BJD Strategic plan review has been concluded, there will be no change to the approach to BJD control in WA. The surveillance program in WA was initiated in response to WA industry support for maintaining WA as a BJD Free Zone under the current NJDCP.
Additional import conditions for beef cattle from Queensland entering WA continue to be in effect.
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
.
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 Agricultural Authority, 2015
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