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Edition 4, November 2023
Farm biosecurity simplified with new animations 📹
Victorian livestock owners can now brush up on their farm biosecurity knowledge with new series of easy-to-follow animations.
We've released a series of new animations, highlighting a range of important biosecurity information in a simple format, designed to help walk you through the basics of keeping animals healthy and properties free from disease.
Topics covered include basic farm biosecurity, farm and visitor hygiene, introducing new livestock and important information about prohibited pig feed and ruminant feed bans.
Having good biosecurity practices in place helps protect your livestock, your neighbour’s livestock and the entire agriculture industry from the threats of disease.
Watch the 5 videos now on our YouTube channel and keep an eye out for them on social media and in our online training resources and webinars.
Now's the time to create your biosecurity plan 📌
Not sure where to begin when it comes to reviewing or creating your biosecurity plan?
We have the tools that can help.
A biosecurity plan is an essential tool to prevent and minimise biosecurity risks on your farm. We recommend a biosecurity plan for anyone that keeps or owns livestock or who operates a cropping or horticulture business.
Keep your pigs free from parasites 🐷🦠🔬
Did you know our staff can visit your property and undertake testing for roundworm and whipworm?
While we’re there, we can also help you develop a biosecurity plan - all free of charge.
Having a strong biosecurity plan is key to reducing the risks of serious emergency animal diseases, including African swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease.
👩🔬🧬Investigating significant animal diseases
The Significant Disease Investigation (SDI) program is playing a critical role in protecting Victorian livestock from emergency animal diseases, with subsidies provided to vets for nearly 370 investigations last financial year (2022-23).
First introduced in 2005, the program is a proactive measure that has boosted Victoria’s capacity to detect emergency animal diseases early, with subsidies provided to support private veterinary investigations.
Early detection of emerging or exotic disease is the key to effective management and this relies on farmers, vets and government working together.
The SDI program allows veterinarians who investigate and report on outbreaks of unusual or significant animal disease to be paid a subsidy to help cover the cost of the investigation and laboratory fees.
For more information about the program, including eligibility, visit the SDI Program page on our website.
🍯🐝Bee aware of Varroa mite
As the weather warms up, keep your bees happy, healthy and productive.
It's important to regularly Inspect your hives and report any unusual activity to the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.
Inspection is an important precautionary measure for beekeepers to identify pests like Varroa mite.
News from our partners 📰
Bucks for brains – how cattle and sheep producers can help Australia’s disease-free status
As an island nation, Australia is already at an advantage in protecting our livestock from well-recognised but foreign pests and animal diseases. On top of that, we have a world class multi-faceted biosecurity system in place protecting our livestock from the inside-out. A vital part of this biosecurity system is the surveillance that we do looking for exotic diseases, should they breach our border.
Keep reading on the Animal Health Australia website.
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