After 30 June 2017, producers will need to have a biosecurity plan in place for 5 years before they are again eligible for the higher scores of 6 or more.
Commercial beef producers are being urged to get a farm biosecurity plan in place by 30 June 2017 in order to maintain a high Johne’s Beef Assurance Score (J-BAS) and protect against Johne’s disease (JD).
The J-BAS is a voluntary risk profiling tool developed for use in the new approach to JD in beef cattle.
Currently under the transitional arrangement, all beef herds from JD-free herds from South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland and herds that qualified as beef only from Tasmania and Victoria have been allocated a J-BAS of 7.
To maintain J-BAS 7 a producer must implement an on-farm biosecurity plan, oversighted by a veterinarian, by 30 June 2017 and conduct a triennial Check Test.
If producers in these areas do not wish to undertake testing or utilise a veterinary adviser to oversight their on farm biosecurity plan, they can still maintain a score of 6 by implementing their own biosecurity plan before 30 June 2017.
If nothing is done by producers by 30 June 2017, their herds’ J-BAS will drop to 0, the same status as infected and suspected herds.
After 30 June 2017, producers will need to have a biosecurity plan in place for 5 years before they are again eligible for the higher scores of 6 or more.
A biosecurity plan for J-BAS should take into account a general biosecurity plan that covers the farm for exotic and endemic diseases as well as JD specific practices like the risk from sheep with JD and high risk cattle like dairy cattle. When buying cattle look for the Cattle Health Declaration where the J-BAS is recorded along with information on a whole suite of diseases that can impact your business.
LBN has developed a biosecurity plan template for producers to use for their on-farm biosecurity planning.
LBN is running a webinar to explain the new changes and biosecurity workshops in Victoria for anyone wanting to put in place a biosecurity plan in June.
Webinar: Johne’s disease in beef cattle the way forward (for southern states)
Thursday, 1 June 2017
http://www.lbn.org.au/2017/05/30/time-running-out-to-keep-johnes-score/
