August 3, 2023

Australia already testing cattle for diseases following Indonesia's export suspension, webinar participants informed

Priority testing to prove Australian cattle pose no disease risk to Indonesia commenced on July 31, a webinar involving cattle industry representatives in Australia and Australian government officials was told this week.

The webinar, which attracted 350 registered participants, was organised to provide an industry-wide update on what is currently known about the circumstances that led to Indonesia recently suspending four Australian pre-export quarantine facilities from exporting cattle to the country.

Indonesia's agriculture agency advised Australia's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry that the decision was made after 13 Australian cattle, which had been handled in those facilities, tested positive for lumpy skin disease (LSD) in Indonesia.

Despite significant testing and surveillance across Australia, which was ramped up following the detection of LSD in Indonesia last year, Australia has never recorded a positive detection of the disease.

That the disease could originate in cattle handled in four facilities stretching across the north from Western Australia to the Northern Territory and Queensland without it also being detected through Australia's comprehensive testing programme is considered highly unlikely.

Australian government representatives addressing the webinar said they believed the most likely situation was that the Australian cattle contracted LSD after their arrival in Indonesia, where the disease has been widespread for more than a year.

It is also considered likely that at least some of the positive test results are a direct response to LSD vaccinations given to Australian cattle by importers to protect them from the disease after their arrival in the country.

The webinar was organised to share information by Australia's industry taskforce on LSD.