1. Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen’s Association annual conference
27 October 2017
Johne’s disease in cattle – national and Western Australian industry update

2. JD management in Western Australia
Presenters:
Mia Carbon A/Executive Director Biosecurity and Regulation Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
Steve Meerwald Chair Cattle Industry Funding Scheme Management Committee

3. Bovine Johne’s disease (JD in cattle) management pre- 2016:
BJD management pre-2016
Bovine Johne’s disease (JD in cattle) management pre :
Regulated nationally and in all jurisdictions
CattleMap used in jurisdictional entry requirements
WA was a bovine Johne’s disease free zone

4. National BJD Strategic Plan Review - 2015
BJD management pre-2016
National BJD Strategic Plan Review
Undertaken at national industry request
Coordinated by Animal Health Australia
Feedback sought from all stakeholders

5. National review process
Snapshot of national review process (from AHA webpage)
Overview of the options stakeholders had to have input to the review process as listed on the Animal Health Australia webpage

6. National review - Outcomes
National deregulation from 1 July 2016
Zones and movement restrictions removed
Change in definition – to include all strains
All jurisdictions deregulated except WA and NT
CattleMAP ceased 1 November 2016
Voluntary Johne’s Beef Assurance Score (J-BAS) created
CattleMAP ceased 1 November 2016

7. WA industry response to national deregulation
WA industry BJD advisory committee set up Nov 2015
At WA industry request:
Interim regulation of JD in cattle continued
State border controls amended to maintain equivalent protection for WA
Economic analysis commissioned
The WA Industry BJD Advisory Committee was set up in November 2015 to clarify the industry position on the management of JD in cattle in WA and to advise the IMC on future management options.
Committee members: WAF, PGA, KPCA, UBBA, WA Beef Council, WA Dairy, Indigenous Pastoral Enterprises, a private cattle veterinarian, WA Chief Veterinary Officer and Director Livestock Biosecurity DPIRD.
Industry indicated that they would like to retain WA’s low or negligible disease prevalence and maintain border controls to minimise the risk of introducing JD in imported cattle.
They recommended that a targeted surveillance program to determine the true prevalence of JD in cattle in WA.

8. Economic impact differed between types of enterprise
Economic analysis
Economic impact differed between types of enterprise
Economic losses associated with the loss of BJD sensitive markets could be severe and long-term
Greatest impact on;
Export markets
Seedstock producers
Production losses could be managed – higher in dairy
Outcome – regulatory and targeted surveillance program
The WA Industry BJD Advisory Committee was set up in November 2015 to clarify the industry position on the management of JD in cattle in WA and to advise the IMC on future management options.
Committee members: WAF, PGA, KPCA, UBBA, WA Beef Council, WA Dairy, Indigenous Pastoral Enterprises, a private cattle veterinarian, WA Chief Veterinary Officer and Director Livestock Biosecurity DPIRD.
Industry indicated that they would like to retain WA’s low or negligible disease prevalence and maintain border controls to minimise the risk of introducing JD in imported cattle.
They recommended that a targeted surveillance program to determine the true prevalence of JD in cattle in WA.

9. Where are we now?
Steve Meerwald Chair Cattle Industry Funding Scheme Management Committee

10. Targeted surveillance program
Voluntary targeted surveillance for JD in cattle
Higher risk properties that have imported animals from QLD and NT since 2005 have been selected from the stock movement database
Two-phases:
Southern producers – mailed on 5 Sept 2017
> 90% of the required beef properties targeted have signed up
Sampling to occur at time convenient to producer
Northern producers – will be contacted shortly
Sampling to be coordinated with first muster in 2018
6 properties
As of 20 October, 90% of beef producers required have volunteered for targeted testing.
Southern producers are keen to avoid hay and silage commitments, planned holidays, and link sampling to weaning, pregnancy testing etc. As a consequence, many have delayed sample collection until January / February 2018.

11. Johne’s Beef Assurance Score: J-BAS
Testing to remain J-BAS 8 will need to be completed by 1 July 2018
Biosecurity plans completed for surveillance participants
Advantage: Targeted surveillance testing satisfies J-BAS 8 testing requirements
What if there is a JD positive?
Confirmed positives will be assessed on a case by case basis by IMC
JD in cattle is still a regulated disease in WA

12. JD in cattle
Questions?