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Thursday 6 February 2025
Get it right – is your animal fit to load?
Dr Jeff Cave, Agriculture Victoria Senior Veterinary Officer
It’s important to remember, if you are the person in charge of an animal it is your responsibility for its welfare. Community values and expectations will not accept anything less.
It always pleases me when someone reaches out to ask, ‘is this animal fit to load?’
If you are in doubt about an animal’s suitability for transport, you can always ask your private veterinarian the question also.
Furthermore, there is a Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) guideline titled ‘Is the animal fit to load?’. This guideline can be viewed on MLA’s website.
In summary, an animal is not fit to load if it’s:
- not able to walk normally or bear weight on all its legs. This may be due to a recent or old fracture, an injury, a deformity or an infection
- not strong enough to make the journey
- suffering from severe distress or injury
- in a condition that could cause it increased pain or distress during transport
- blind in both eyes
- in late pregnancy.
If you identify an animal that is unfit to load you have a few options. You could treat the animal and transport it when it has recovered and is fit to load. Naturally, this is not an option in cases that are not readily treatable.
Alternatively, you could humanely destroy the animal. A knackery service is available in many areas to help with this option.
Finally, you could consult a veterinarian and only transport under veterinary advice.
MLA’s Fit to load guidelines can be found here Fit to load | Meat & Livestock Australia
For further advice contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer.
Meat and greet at the Gippsland Red Meat Conference
The Gippsland Red Meat Conference is back for 2025 with the theme of: Now. Next. Later.
Agriculture Victoria Director Agriculture Services, Kate Linden said the theme encourages farmers to ask themselves when it comes to making improvements on their farm or in their business: what can I do now? what can I do next? And what can I do later?
‘Agriculture Victoria is proud to partner with Gippsland Agricultural Group for this event that brings the red meat industry together to discuss topics important to them.
Be on the look out for Brown marmorated stink bug
Agriculture Victoria is encouraging all Victorians to keep a look out for Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) to help respond to detections near the international ports and ensure the pest does not establish.
BMSB is a hitchhiker pest that tries to cross our borders by hiding inside imported shipping containers, machinery, goods and packaging – especially between September and April.
Monitor and manage your water – it’s a critical farm asset
Water is a precious commodity and with the current dry seasonal conditions it’s a critical farm asset to manage and monitor.
Agriculture Victoria Livestock Industry Development Officer Christopher Blore said having the right quality of stock, domestic and commercial water, where you need it, when you need it and, in the quantity, you need, is critical for all farm businesses.
East Gippsland agricultural start-up given a boost
The Victorian Government is helping to create more jobs in former forestry towns, increasing employment and delivering a boost to the local economy.
Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence recently announced $50,000 for Four Peaks Pastoral Pty Ltd to expand their business and employ former forestry workers as part of Round 1 of the Forestry Transition Fund.
The Small Scale Fixed and Mobile Abattoir eGuide
A clear and practical eGuide that outlines the necessary steps for people to pursue their own abattoir proposal is now available online.
The eGuide, ‘Small Scale Fixed and Mobile Abattoir guideline’, has been developed to assist farmers, consultants, and planners in navigating the approvals process for establishing on-farm, small scale fixed and mobile abattoirs.
Fire preparedness
If you need to evacuate, make sure you’ve made plans for the animals that stay behind:
- Move your animals to a designated low risk area
- Fill water troughs and put out sufficient feed
- Don't leave synthetic (nylon or plastic) equipment, including rugs, on animals
- Don’t cut fences along roadsides. Loose stock can cause accidents during fire.
Celebrating Victorian women in agriculture
The Victorian Government is breaking down barriers to get more women involved and taking on leadership roles in Victoria’s $20 billion agriculture sector.
Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Victoria Michaela Settle joined leaders from across the state for the 64th Annual Pioneer Women’s Ceremony, celebrating Victorian Women’s role in agriculture.
Connecting AgTech Innovation, with Arianna Sippel
Welcome to the third and final season of AgTech Innovators.
How do AgTech start-ups connect with investors, researchers, and other complementary technologies?
To step it all out, Arianna Sippel from growAg, a platform that helps AgTech startups connect and grow domestically and internationally, joins us.
Tackling the Tough Topics
The National Centre for Farmer Health has recently released a handbook outlining best practice guidelines to help individuals and groups plan successful farming community events with a mental health focus.
The guidelines seek to provide the knowledge, resources, and support needed to organise successful events and avoid potential problems that can be damaging to vulnerable individuals and/or their communities.
Gippsland Farm Forestry Grants closing soon!
Started that grant application but haven’t finished it yet?
Applications close on 7 March 2025 so don’t miss out on a grant to plant trees on your land!
Grants are available to grow trees for timber. Trees on farms provide a range of benefits including:
- Providing shelter for stock, crops and pastures
- Improved farm amenity and biodiversity
- Carbon storage.
What's On
Details about Agriculture Victoria events can be found in one spot at agriculture.vic.gov.au/events.
2025 Gippsland Red Meat Conference
When it comes to making improvements on your farm or in your business, ask yourself:
What can I do now?
What can I do next?
What can I do later?
Join us at the Gippsland Red Meat Conference at the Riviera Convention Centre, 103 Bairnsdale Dargo Road, Bairnsdale.
Tuesday 18 February, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.
On-Farm Emissions Action Plan Pilot update
Join our upcoming webinar to hear from our On-Farm Emissions Action Plan pilot team. The team has been working with 250 farm businesses across Victoria to estimate their emissions profile and identify actions to manage and reduce emissions while maintaining productivity.
When: Thursday 27 February – 12 pm
For more information and to stay up to date with our upcoming climate webinars visit our website.
Forestry Transition Program drop-in sessions
Do you want to know more about current grants on offer through the Forestry Transition Program?
The mobile Forestry Information Hub will be at:
- Bruthen Mechanics Hall
49 Main Street, Bruthen
Wednesday 12 February, 10 am – 12 Midday - Cann River Community Centre
13 Princes Highway, Cann River
Thursday 20 February, 10 am – 12 midday.
Please drop in and meet the friendly team. For more information about the Forestry Transition Program visit the website.
Online Farm Business Resilience Program
When: Wednesday 12 February, Wednesday 19 February, Wednesday 26 February, Wednesday 5 March and Wednesday 19 March, 12 to 3 pm.
- Module 1: Identifying and managing risks, strategic planning and setting business goals
- Module 2: Financial management, budgeting and profitable decision making
- Module 3: Managing people on farm, succession planning and farm safety
- Module 4: Climate risk and natural resource management
- Module 5: Business planning.
HERD 25
The Herd'25 conference has a program tailored to attract the herd improvement, genetics and animal performance industry. Featuring a strong lineup of speakers from Australia and worldwide.
Several world leaders are on the program this year and the Herd'25 gathering provides an opportunity for all interested in dairy herd improvement to unite, network and learn.
When: 12 and 13 March, 9:30 am.
Where: All-Seasons Resort Hotel, Bendigo.
Contacting Agriculture Victoria
Call 136 186 from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call (except for mobiles and public telephones).
If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment contact the National Relay Service on 133 677 or www.relayservice.gov.au
All contact points can be found at: agriculture.vic.gov.au/about-us/contact-us
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