The whole of this year for many of the CVO team has been about responding to, or preparing for, diseases that could devastate our livestock industries.

The team has responded to anthrax, Japanese encephalitis (JE) and assisted with Varroa mite incursions, and surveillance for these diseases continues.

The recent floods and warm weather have provided the conditions for an increased risk of insect-borne disease. Practitioners have received separate alerts about that, and this edition of VetWatch includes an item on JE. Then, with the recent experience of the COVID pandemic response still very fresh and real, the outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and lumpy skin disease in Indonesia have mobilised governments nationally to strengthen our border controls and preparedness arrangements. 

So where do practitioners fit in this work? In my view, practitioners are at the centre - essential to the identification and allowing an early and rapid response to emergency animal diseases. You are literally our eyes and ears in the field making professional judgements on cases and flagging the ‘unusual’, undertaking investigations that contribute to our surveillance effort and supporting producers through the process. And there is more...

I am pleased that as part of the necessary government preparedness program, practitioners have been embedded in our consultative groups and consequently gained a glimpse of what will likely happen if an FMD outbreak should occur in Australia. They have provided useful feedback to improve our processes and communications and consequently, have been better able to guide their client’s biosecurity planning.

Practitioners are also contributing to our work that will see a more streamlined and inclusive approach to the vital recruiting of practitioners for surveillance, vaccination or infected premises operational tasks in the event of an outbreak. This is crucial work that will significantly extend the capacity of government in an outbreak.

I encourage you to maintain your awareness of emergency animal diseases (there are many resources out there that you can access for free), make sure you have the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline number saved in your phone, access the Significant Disease Investigation program, support your clients to really improve their biosecurity arrangements and consider making yourself available should the 'worst day' for our livestock industries ever eventuate.

Finally, on behalf of everyone in the CVO team, I  wish you all a very happy and safe Christmas and New Year and I hope you enjoy this edition of VetWatch.

Dr Graeme Cooke
Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) Victoria

Compiled by Julia Sarandopoulos (Senior Officer Surveillance)

Victorian animal health data is collected from a number of sources, including targeted surveillance activities, monitoring programs, disease control programs, diagnostic laboratories, livestock producers and field investigations conducted by Agriculture Victoria (AgVic) staff and private veterinary practitioners.

There were 631 disease events in livestock investigated in Victoria between 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022. The geographic spread of the investigations (Figure 1) and the most frequently reported diseases in each species are shown below (Tables 1-6). In the tables below, cases of clinical disease where no definitive disease agent was identified have been reviewed in the context of the surrounding circumstances, and exotic or emergency diseases were excluded where appropriate.

Figure 1. Location of livestock investigations by species between 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022.

1 Based on livestock disease investigations reported to Agriculture Victoria.

There were 370 disease investigations of cattle between 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022.

Table 1 shows the most frequently observed cattle diseases in each region during the period. It does not include 155 investigations where no definitive diagnosis was made or cases with results pending.

Salmonellosis continues to be the most commonly diagnosed disease of cattle. Veterinary practitioners are reminded that salmonellosis is an important zoonotic disease and appropriate PPE should be used when conducting investigations of suspect cases of salmonellosis or any other potential zoonosis.

Table 1 Most commonly diagnosed diseases of cattle - 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022

There were 177 disease investigations in sheep reported to AgVic between 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022.

Table 2 shows the most frequently observed sheep diseases during the period. It does not include 43 investigations where no definitive diagnosis was made or cases with results pending.

Table 2 Most commonly diagnosed diseases of sheep - 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022

There were 16 disease investigations in goats reported to AgVic between 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022.

Table 3 shows the diseases observed in goats during the period. It does not include seven investigations where no definitive diagnosis was made.

Table 3 Diagnosed diseases of goats - 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022

Table 4 Diagnosed diseases of horses - 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022

There were 18 disease notifications or investigations of poultry reported to AgVic between 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022 involving 15 chickens, one duck, one ostrich and one quail.

The most common diseases diagnosed are listed in Table 5. The table does not include seven cases where no definitive disease agent was found in chickens, ducks and quail.

Table 5 Most commonly diagnosed diseases of poultry - 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022

There were 12 investigations reported to AgVic between 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022.

Table 6 includes a list of the diseases diagnosed during the period. The table does not include seven cases where no definitive diagnosis was made.

Table 6 Most commonly diagnosed diseases of pigs - 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022

Early detection of an emergency animal disease threat is vital to preventing its spread. AgVic encourages and facilitates the reporting and investigation of suspect EADs.

There were 105 investigations to exclude suspect emergency or exotic diseases undertaken between 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022. Data is reported separately for livestock (Table 8) and companion animals and wildlife (Table 9). Note that some investigations exclude more than one EAD (e.g., animals tested for foot-and-mouth disease will generally also be tested for vesicular stomatitis).

The data includes clinical disease investigations by private and AgVic veterinarians.

Figure 2 shows the location of livestock investigations in each region.

Table 7 EAD exclusion testing in livestock undertaken. (1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022)

Table 8 EAD exclusion testing in companion animals and wildlife. (1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022)

Figure 2. Location of suspect EAD investigations of livestock by species (1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022)

By Yonatan Segal, Principal Veterinary Officer Poultry and Emerging Diseases

Over the last few years, the number of avian influenza outbreaks around the world has been on the rise, but since October 2021 all records have been broken, with outbreaks affecting high numbers of wild birds and domestic poultry across Europe, North America, the Middle East, West and South Africa and recently also in South America. In Europe, during the January to November 2022 period, the avian influenza virus of H5N1 type of the 2.3.4.4b subgroup or clade has dominated the scene with over 2,000 outbreaks recorded on commercial poultry farms in 23 countries, and 48 million broilers, layers ducks and turkeys culled as part of the emergency response.

During this period over 3,500 cases were also identified in wild birds in Europe, including sea bird breeding colonies with very high mortality rates. A similar situation was observed also in Canada and the USA.

The response to avian influenza has historically included stamping out, the establishment of control zones to impose movement controls and the upgrading of biosecurity procedures including minimising the risk of contact between poultry and wild birds (e.g. by requiring the housing of domesticated poultry and other birds). These are the tools that were used during the response to the 2020 outbreak of avian influenza in Victoria. There is now growing interest globally in integrating vaccination into the avian influenza response ‘toolbox’.

In 2021 the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) released the recommendations that vaccination should not affect the high pathogenicity avian influenza status of a free country or zone if surveillance supports the absence of infection. This indicates a global shift in the perception and acceptance of avian influenza vaccination as an additional tool for the control of the disease.

In May 2022 the agriculture ministers of the European Commission agreed to implement an avian influenza vaccination strategy due to the huge number of culled birds across Europe, and in October 2022, the International Alliance for Biological Standardization - an independent non-profit scientific alliance - held an international meeting to look at highly pathogenic avian influenza vaccination strategies and the removal of unnecessary barriers to their usage. The event took place at the headquarters of WOAH and looked at how a harmonized vaccination strategy with updated vaccination and innovative technologies, combined with appropriate diagnostics, surveillance and disease management, could offer a better approach than stamping out alone.

The currently available vaccines for avian influenza can protect against clinical signs of the disease, decrease susceptibility to infection, and reduce virus excretion and virus transmission (birds to birds and birds to humans). They do not prevent infection or virus replication (without clinical signs) that might lead to spread and an endemic situation, therefore avian influenza virus might still be confirmed in these birds (according to the WOAH definition). To gain protection, the flock coverage should be over 60 per cent, or ideally 80 per cent.

The most common vaccines are the inactivated (killed) whole highly pathogenic avian influenza virus or reverse genetic virus vaccines with adjuvant, live vectored vaccines and the nucleic acid (DNA) vaccines.

The inactivated vaccines used in China and other countries since 2000 are cheap and easy to develop, are easy to adapt to new strains/clades of avian influenza viruses and can be applied to multiple hosts (chickens, ducks, turkeys). They are however labour intensive as they require application of two doses via individual injection, on farm. These vaccines provide poor protection in young chicks, as they are poor in overcoming maternal antibodies, impose high pressure on the field virus to mutate, and are not DIVA, meaning, it is not possible to distinguish vaccinated birds from infected birds.

The live-vectored vaccines use another avian virus such as Newcastle disease virus, herpes virus turkey or fowl-pox as a carrier. The avian influenza gene of the H5 Haemagglutinin (HA) is inserted. These vaccines are cheap, provide DIVA, and are easy for mass application at the hatchery. There may, however, be natural immunity in the population to the vector virus which could lead to a reduction in the effectiveness of the vaccine against the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus.

The host specificity is important. There is a need to define the target population that is specific to the vector. There might be issues around genetically modified vaccines, therefore registration may be complicated. To date, the H5 vectored vaccine has been approved in the USA and Mexico. Following the avian influenza outbreak in the USA in 2015, a vaccine bank of inactivated and vector vaccines was established.

Such significant developments in vaccine technology, as well as changing approaches globally for managing avian influenza, present a new opportunity for potentially expanding Australia’s avian influenza ‘toolbox’.

By Dr Cathy Bunter, (Acting) Principal Veterinary Officer - Equine

Given the recent flooding events across Victoria and the resulting increases in mosquito (and wild water bird) populations, it is probably timely to be on the lookout for clinical signs of arboviral diseases in horses.

Viruses

The arboviruses are spread by biting insects-mainly mosquitos but in some cases ticks. The most common arbovirus in horses in Victoria is ross river virus (RRV) but previous high rainfall seasons with flooding in 1974, 2010- 2011 and 2021-2022 saw sporadic outbreaks of Murray Valley encephalitis virus in south-east Australia. West Nile virus (Kunjin strain) is also known to exist particularly in northern Australia.

Figure 1. Confirmed Equine Ross River Virus Cases Victoria 2021

Arboviruses affect many species of animals including horses, humans and wild birds. Wild water bird populations, particularly herons and egrets, are thought to act as reservoirs for mosquito-borne flaviviruses.

Japanese encephalitis is an arbovirus belonging to the same flavivirus family as Murray Valley encephalitis virus and West Nile virus.

Hendra virus is not an arbovirus but the signs, especially initially, mimic many of the clinical signs of these diseases. Given the dangerous potential of zoonotic infection with Hendra virus it should always be excluded first. All Hendra investigations must be reported to Agriculture Victoria via the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Clinical Signs

Most horses infected with arboviral disease show no clinical signs but for those that do, the signs are mainly neurological and musculoskeletal including:

• Depression
• Weakness
• Staggering
• Inco-ordination

These signs are similar to a number of other diseases including Hendra. This highlights the need to get an accurate diagnosis and always wear personal protective equipment when handling or sampling suspect horses displaying neurological signs. Always ensure that handlers and owners have adequate PPE also.

The Queensland government document: Resources on the safe management of suspected Hendra virus cases provides valuable guidelines.

Testing

Subsidies for equine arboviral disease investigations are available through Agriculture Victoria’s Significant Disease Investigation (SDI) program. Private practitioners should seek authorisation from their local Agriculture Victoria Veterinary Officer or Animal Health Officer prior to or at the time of undertaking the field investigation.

Ideal samples to collect include initial and convalescent (2-4 weeks later) blood samples

• EDTA blood (for PCRs)
• Serum (for serology)

Note: It is really important to collect follow-up convalescent samples (where possible) so that serology titres can be compared between the two samples to allow accurate diagnosis. Paired samples also make it much easier to determine if exposure to the arbovirus is recent or historical.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and post-mortem samples (brain, spinal cord) collection should only be performed when Hendra virus has been excluded and appropriate precautions to avoid zoonotic exposure have been undertaken. Full personal protective equipment should ALWAYS be worn when handling or sampling any horse displaying neurological signs.

Complete the AgriBio Laboratory submission/RODE form and package specimens appropriately before forwarding to:

Veterinary Diagnostics Services laboratory – AgriBio, Bundoora
5 Ring Road, Latrobe University Bundoora Victoria 3083
Phone: 9032 7515
Email: vet.diagnostics@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Further details can be found in the following link SDI Program.

Treatment/Prevention

Treatment of horses infected with arboviruses is symptomatic as there is no specific treatment for these viruses. This may involve intravenous fluid therapy, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics as required.

2 agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/animal-diseases/significant-disease-investigation-sdi-program

Human Health Implications

Humans can be bitten by infected mosquitoes and contract arboviruses. It is important to note that they are not at risk of infection from direct contact with infected animals

For further information on arboviral diseases in humans visit:

• Health Vic – Murray Valley Encephalitis
• Health Vic – West Nile Virus and Kunjin Virus
• Health Vic -  Ross River Virus

For further information on arboviral diseases in animals, please contact the District Veterinary Officer or Animal Health Officer at your local Agriculture Victoria office or call the Customer Call Centre on 136 186.

By Sally Salmon, Deputy CVO – Epidemiology and Risk

In late November 2022, Japanese encephalitis (JE) was confirmed in a New South Wales piggery. JE viral fragments were detected by PCR in tissue samples collected from a litter of still-born piglets. This is the first detection of JE in Australia in the 2022-23 summer.

Since the last diagnosis in Victoria, which was in May 2022, Agriculture Victoria has been closely monitoring the situation, actively continuing to investigate and test horses, pigs or other livestock (for example, alpaca) presenting with clinical signs consistent with JE virus infection. To date, the disease has not been detected in any Victorian livestock.

JE is a nationally notifiable disease of livestock. This means that in Victoria, you are required to notify Agriculture Victoria immediately on suspicion of disease through your local Agriculture Victoria Animal Health and Welfare team, the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline 1800 675 888 or the Notify Now App.

To ensure that suspect cases in livestock can be promptly investigated, veterinarians and producers can receive financial support for submission and testing of samples under the Significant Disease Investigation (SDI) program.

Background

Japanese encephalitis virus is a member of the Flavivirus genus of the family Flaviviridae. It is transmitted by mosquitos and can infect a wide range of vertebrate animal hosts. JE virus is primarily maintained in an enzootic cycle between mosquitoes, pigs, and waterbirds, with pigs considered an amplifying host. Competent mosquito vectors and wild bird reservoir species are present across mainland Australia including in Victoria.

In pigs, the most common clinical signs are abortion, mummified and stillborn or weak piglets, some with neurological signs. In a naïve population, litters from sows and gilts would be expected to be equally affected. Adult sows do not typically show overt signs of disease, and boars, if present on the farm, may experience infertility and oedematous, congested testicles.

In horses, many cases are asymptomatic and most clinical disease is mild, however more severe encephalitis can occur which may be fatal. Signs include fever, jaundice, lethargy, anorexia and neurological signs which vary with the severity of the clinical disease. Neurological signs can include incoordination, difficulty swallowing, impaired vision, and rarely a hyperexcitable form occurs. Disease has also been reported in donkeys. REMINDER: Hendra virus infection must always be ruled out in cases of neurological disease in horses.

Japanese encephalitis was reported in an alpaca in South Australia earlier in 2022 but reports of the disease in other species are rare.

3agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/animal-diseases/significant-disease-investigation-sdi-program

Humans are incidental hosts and fortunately, most infected humans remain asymptomatic, but JE virus infection in humans may cause severe or even fatal neurological disease. Vaccination is registered for use for people in Australia and is available in Victoria for individuals in defined, high-risk groups.

There is no specific treatment for infected animals and there is currently no vaccine available for pigs nor for general use in horses, in Australia.

The disease is considered endemic in eastern, south-eastern and southern Asian countries as well as parts of the western Pacific and the northern tip of Australia.

The outbreak in Victoria in early 2022

In February 2022, cases of JE were diagnosed in commercial pig herds almost simultaneously in southern Queensland, New South Wales, and northern Victoria. Cases were then detected in South Australia and later in feral pigs in the Northern Territory.

In Victoria, JE was first diagnosed in a commercial pig herd at Lockington, near Echuca in the north of the state on 25 February 2022 following a veterinary investigation of stillbirths, mummified foetuses and tremors in neonatal piglets. In the following days, after awareness-raising activities had been undertaken, three further suspect properties located in northern Victoria (Kow Swamp, Kyabram and Beechworth) were reported to Agriculture Victoria. One of the piggeries had experienced recent abortion ‘storms’ and two piggeries reported increased stillbirths and mummified foetuses.

In early March 2022, the first human cases of JE were confirmed in Victoria. These were the first recorded cases of locally acquired JE in the state. In response, the Victorian Department of Health, and Agriculture Victoria (part of the Victorian Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions) began working together to deliver a coordinated response across human and animal health sectors.

In total, JE virus infection was diagnosed in 23 Victorian pig herds in eight northern Victorian local government areas (Figure1).

All affected premises were placed under biosecurity restrictions (quarantine), with pig movements to slaughter and/or other farms permitted under nationally endorsed movement guidelines. Detailed epidemiological investigations were undertaken, and vector control implemented as per the national Integrated Mosquito Management Principles for Piggeries guidance document4.

The last infected property was released from quarantine on 5 July 2022. All trace (n= 4), suspect (n= 6), and dangerous contact (n = 36) pig properties were satisfactorily resolved by 30 June 2022.

4farmbiosecurity.com.au/livestock/pigs/controlling-mosquitoes-around-piggeries/

During the outbreak, 93 equids (92 horses and 1 donkey) on 68 properties were investigated for JE. There were no confirmed cases of JE in horses in Victoria but after lengthy investigation, 10 horses were deemed to be ‘probable’ cases of JE and nine horses were deemed ‘possible’ cases of JE6.

Figure 1. Local government areas where Japanese encephalitis was detected in pigs February – June 2022.

The ‘Delimiting Surveillance’ project

A study was undertaken in mid-2022 to determine the geographic extent of infection in domestic pigs in Victoria in the 2021-2022 season. The work involved identifying domestic herds located outside the shires then known to be affected, then with the owner’s consent, collecting and testing blood samples from pigs culled from those herds.

5A probable equine case is one in which the animal displays clinical signs consistent with JE, and on serological testing is flavivirus ELISA positive and has a plaque reduction neutralisation test (PRNT) result with a four-fold increase in the JE specific antibody over the Murray Valley encephalitis and west Nile virus specific antibody titres Source: CSIRO-ACDP Diagnostic Algorithms by Species (Horses) Version 3. 29 March 2022.

6A possible equine case is one in which the animal displays clinical signs consistent with JE, and on serological testing is Flavivirus ELISA positive, but the results of further testing fail to provide significant differentiation between JE, Murray Valley encephalitis and west Nile virus viruses.

Six-hundred and fifty individual blood samples, representing 31 separate submissions were collected. Four of the 31 submissions returned positive JE results: two from Buloke Shire, one from Wodonga Shire, and one from Golden Plains Shire. Positive results in the Wodonga and Buloke shires were not unexpected due to the northern locality of the pig farms. However, the positive result in the Golden Plains shire which is located quite significantly south of the known affected shires was a surprise. Further investigation suggests that JE virus exposure may have occurred in NSW and/or on a connected site in northern Victoria.

Early season detection 2022-23

Going into the 2022-23 summer, early detection will involve a number of strategies. Surveillance will focus on detecting a rise in the number of competent vectors; trapped mosquitoes will be tested for the presence of JE virus antigen, and vertebrate hosts, including still-born or mummified piglets will be tested.

Approach to JE in the summer of 2022-23

The policy lead for JE remains with the departments of health nationally which are focused on vector and case surveillance, investigation and treatment of human infections, and the rollout of vaccination for at-risk humans.

In Victoria this summer, Agriculture Victoria will encourage notification of suspect JE cases and submission of clinical samples for laboratory diagnosis from pigs and horses via the significant disease investigation program7, and conduct surveillance and epidemiological assessments of the situation on affected properties.

Agriculture Victoria will not be establishing an Incident Management Team or mounting a formal management/control response to JE in animals.

• Quarantine of properties and establishment of declared areas will not occur.
• The movement of live pigs, or pig products including semen from affected properties will not be traced or limited.
• Movement controls will not be placed on interstate movements into the state of live pigs or semen relating to JE virus.

What to do to prevent the spread of JE around livestock

Prevention depends heavily on effective vector control and/or avoidance of mosquito bites. Relevant Australian reference materials are available on mosquito management and control for both pigs and horses. These can be found on the following Farm Biosecurity websites:

• farmbiosecurity.com.au/livestock/pigs/controlling-mosquitoes-around-piggeries/
• farmbiosecurity.com.au/livestock/horses/mosquito-management-for-horses/

7agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/animal-diseases/significant-disease-investigation-sdi-program

Actions to take if you suspect Japanese Encephalitis in your client’s animal

Japanese encephalitis is a notifiable exotic disease in Victoria. If you suspect JE in any animal, but especially in pigs or horses showing the signs described above, immediately contact your local Agriculture Victoria staff or phone the all-hours Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline (1800 675 888).

For information related to public health visit the Victorian Department of Health website - health.vic.gov.au/infectious-diseases/japanese-encephalitis-virus or Better Health Channel on Viral encephalitis.

For more information, the Agriculture Victoria website on JE can be found here: agriculture.vic.gov.au/JE.

By Jeff Cave, Senior Veterinary Officer – Northern and Andy Hancock, Principal Veterinary Officer - Cattle

In 2022, we have seen the wettest spring on record across northern Victoria. This, coupled with a severely high rainfall event in mid-October, has led to the flooding of a substantial amount of agricultural land.

Following extensive flooding there are several problems which may arise due to the large movements of soil, water, and waste, in conjunction with stagnating and contaminated flood waters. Additionally, animals are often moved to areas of higher stocking densities, subjecting them to additional risk factors for disease such as prolonged wetting, changes in and limitation of feed sources, comingling, and stress.

Some issues commonly seen may include:

• Larger than usual insect populations. Flystrike is likely to occur in sheep after wetting, especially if they have a thick wool cover. Diseases that can be spread mechanically by flies, such as Pink Eye, may increase both due to the increase in fly numbers and higher stocking densities. The incidence of cases of the tick-borne disease Theileriosis may increase in heavily vegetated areas with abundant wildlife.
• Insect-borne diseases usually found further north such as Bovine Ephemeral Fever, Akabane disease, Murray Valley encephalitis, and Ross River virus may extend into Victoria. Japanese encephalitis (see above for further details) is a newly emerging disease of this category which may increase in prevalence due to increasing vector populations.
• An increased presence of rotting plant and animal material may favour the growth of Clostridium botulinum. Subsequent ingestion of C. botulinum can cause Botulism, a disease which presents with paralysis, and is often fatal. In addition, similar conditions may lead to an increased incidence of Listeriosis.
• Other clostridial diseases may also occur more frequently due to an increase in the number of infective spores in the environment, and the consumption of energy-rich, highly digestible pastures. Most clostridial infections rapidly progress to death in unvaccinated animals.
• Leptospira spp. thrive in warm, moist conditions and standing water, and can be widely dispersed by flood waters, resulting in an increased presence of Leptospirosis in unvaccinated animals.
• Yersiniosis (flood mud scours) can be a significant issue post-flooding, though it is more likely during cooler conditions, so probably less of a consideration as we head into the summer months.
• As a result of muddy conditions and increased environmental contamination of the udder, an increase in mastitis is likely to be seen in lactating animals, especially if they are stressed or have reduced access to feed. This is exacerbated in dairy herds by the potential for missed milkings during flooding events.
• Worm larvae survive much longer on pasture in moist conditions, and parasite burdens may increase rapidly. Warm, moist conditions particularly favour the proliferation of Haemonchus contortus (Barber’s Pole Worm). Protozoan parasites such as cryptosporidium and coccidia also emerge in wet seasons, causing scouring in calves.
• High stocking densities, stressful conditions, exposure to inclement weather, and poor hygiene may lead to an increased incidence of respiratory and other enteric diseases.
• Lameness due to foot abscesses and other foot problems will be common in heavy animals standing on wet, muddy ground. Warm, humid conditions will also favour the expression and spread of footrot in sheep if it is present in a flock.
• Moulds can grow easily in wet, humid conditions. Some moulds are toxic and may cause stock to die suddenly or create longer-term health problems such as liver damage, which may also lead to photosensitisation. Lush, green pastures with a high chlorophyll content may also lead to cases of photosensitisation.
• The requirement to hold livestock in smaller areas above flood waters may result in the grazing of less-palatable toxic plants they otherwise would not have access to or choose to graze.
• For further information on the above, the NSW Local Land Services have produced a comprehensive fact sheet, which can be found on their website – CLICK HERE to view.

I am thrilled to be joining the Chief Veterinary Officer’s Unit and excited to apply my experience in policy development and infectious disease research to a role helping to protect our agriculture sector from the impacts of transboundary and emerging animal diseases.

After completing his residency, Andy worked for Zoetis Australia for four years as Veterinary Operations Manager (Livestock). For three years during his time with Zoetis Australia, he was also part of the conference organizing committee of the Cattle Chapter of the ANZCVS Annual Scientific Conference, for two of those years as chair of the committee.

In 2019 Andy and his family moved to Ireland to work at Zoetis’ International Centre of Excellence in Dublin as Director, Outcomes Research. In this role Andy worked across global markets to formulate and coordinate in-field research projects which demonstrated the value of Zoetis’ Ruminants, Precision Livestock Farming and Diagnostics portfolios.

In 2022 an opportunity presented to purchase a beef farm back in southwest Victoria, so Andy and his family (Liz, Arthur and Harriet) decided to move home, returning in July.

Andy started as the Principal Veterinary Officer (Cattle) in the Chief Veterinary Officer’s Unit in November.

Monkeypox virus fact sheet

Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMD or FMDV) - Information

National Avian Influenza Wild Bird Surveillance

An abalone viral ganglioneuritis outbreak in western Victoria’s wild abalone

Australian frogs are dying

Hendra Virus – QLD Government

Epidemiology and Animal Disease Modelling