Sheep Health Statement (SHS) Frequently Asked Questions

Transcription

1 Sheep Health Statement (SHS) Frequently Asked Questions Q: What is the Sheep Health Statement? A: The Sheep Health Statement (SHS) is an important tool for allowing buyers of sheep to make an informed decision about the health status and management history of the stock. This is the most important disease risk management tool that sheep buyers can use. It allows producers to make a disease risk assessment for OJD, as well as a range of other biosecurity risks including brucellosis, footrot and lice. The SHS features a series of Yes / No questions to allow buyers to quickly make informed biosecurity decisions specifically for their own individual circumstances. The questions on the SHS recognise vaccination history and flock testing results. Where producers want to provide more information they are able to do so through an additional information box or in supplementary documents. Q: Is the SHS compulsory? A: The SHS has been designed for adoption nation-wide. It is recommended that vendors provide a SHS and buyers request a SHS as it provides a level of information to make decisions to minimise the risk of disease spread. A completed SHS is mandatory for trade in some states and regions. For details visit or speak to departments in each state. Q: Do I need to answer every question? A: When using a SHS as a trade entry requirement, all questions should be completed as ability to trade into some regions may be compromised if the form is not fully completed. Q: Why has the ABC point s scheme been removed? A: Producer feedback clearly stated that zoning should end. There are no longer zones; therefore the ABC system could not be continued. The SHS will provide buyers with a more comprehensive report on disease risk status than a numerical score. The ABC scheme provided a tool for OJD, but not for other important endemic diseases. The feedback from the consultation indicated that the vast majority see OJD as one of a number of endemic diseases to be considered when purchasing sheep. Central to the Plan is a new simplified National Sheep Health Statement (SHS). This is the most important disease risk management tool that sheep buyers can use. Q: Where can producers obtain copies of the SHS? A: Copies of the SHS document are available on the OJD website ( or by asking your agent. Copies are also available upon request by calling

2 Q: Why should vendors provide a SHS at sale? A: The SHS allows vendors to provide details of the health status and disease management history of their flock so buyers make informed purchasing decisions about the consignment. Q: Why should buyers ask for a SHS when buying sheep? A: A SHS allows buyers to make an informed decision of the disease risks associated with purchasing a consignment of sheep. The onus is on buyers to ask for a SHS prior to purchasing stock. The cost of introducing an endemic disease onto a property can be significant. The SHS provides a base level of information for a buyer. Some purchasers may wish to seek further information. Q: How do I get SHS info on sheep I m interested in buying? A: Before buying sheep you should ask the vendor or the selling agent if a SHS is available ask to view the form prior to buying. Q: Will a SHS assist in terms of trading sheep into states like SA and Qld? A: The SHS is suitable for adoption nation-wide by producers wanting to make more informed biosecurity decisions. State governments set the legislation for entry requirements and a completed SHS will provide the information that will assist or enable trade. Q: How can I differentiate consignments of sheep against each other like I did with the ABC point s scores? A: The SHS is the risk assessment tool replacing the ABC scheme. As there are no longer nationally recognised OJD prevalence zones, the ABC Points Scheme can t continue. The new SHS will provide sheep buyers with a basis for comparison based on better information about disease risk. The ABC scheme provided a tool for OJD, but not for other important endemic diseases. Q: If I m going to exhibit sheep at a show, do I need to fill out a SHS? A: Entry requirements for sheep shows are set by the respective show societies. You may need to complete the full SHS and section E of the SHS can be used to provide additional information e.g. your breed society membership number. Q: How can I provide information about coming from a low prevalence area or my previous ABC point s status? A: Section E of the SHS allows for vendors to provide any relevant additional information to prospective buyers. Similarly, section C6 allows producers to write under Other details of sheep purchased from historically recognised Low Prevalence Areas.

3 Q: How do I know if I m in a Regional Biosecurity Plan (RBP)? A: The organisations which prepare the RBPs will be required to communicate the details with all producers in those regions. It is recommended that you contact your local producer groups or State Department of Primary Industries to confirm your RBP status. Trade between the RBPs will need to be negotiated by the regions. Q: What is SheepMAP? A: The Australian Johne s Disease Market Assurance Program for sheep (SheepMAP) is a voluntary program for producers which enable them to identify and promote their negative Johne s disease status to their clients. Flocks in SheepMAP have a low risk of being infected compared to Not-Assessed flocks. Producers can minimise the risk of purchasing infected sheep by sourcing replacement animals from MAP assessed flocks. More information on the SheepMAP program is available from Animal Health Australia ( Q: Section A: What is a biosecurity plan? A: Biosecurity is a broad term describing the measures taken to prevent and manage the risk of introducing and spreading diseases and pests, which ultimately protects the community, environment and economy. Implementing biosecurity measures or a biosecurity plan helps to reduce the risk of introducing disease and pests to your farm, increases productivity and allows early detection and management of diseases and pests. Strategic biosecurity management can potentially reduce the impact and cost if there was an outbreak of disease, as biosecurity practices may result in faster detection and management. More information is available at Q: Section C2 what does Other refer to? A: In some circumstances producers may have had sheep tested but not in the numbers required to reach the status thresholds. The Other section allows vendors to detail the results of OJD tests conducted on their sheep. Q: Section C3 Why might a flock be suspected of being infected with OJD? A: A flock may be suspected of being infected with OJD if the owner has reason to believe that the flock has been exposed to OJD via: Trace back or trace forward contact with an infected flock Contact with OJD contaminated land or facilities

4 A positive Johne s disease screening test, e.g. abattoir monitoring or blood (ELISA) test Is a neighbour of an infected flock unless there is an effective biosecurity barrier Clinical signs of OJD, or Advice from the relevant state agricultural department, AND the flock has not met the requirements for resolution of suspicion in accordance with the OJD Standard Definitions, Rules and Guidelines (SDR&Gs). Q: What is trace back or trace forward? A: Trace back refers to an animal or animals that have been sold to another property and are subsequently confirmed as being infected. Trace forward refers to the purchase of an animal or animals from a flock which is subsequently identified as being infected. There is no specific time period for tracing suspect infections. For example, sheep purchased from a known infected flock 10 years ago will still be considered as suspect unless the suspect status has been resolved in accordance with the SDR&Gs. Q: How do I know if my neighbour has been infected with OJD? A: OJD is a notifiable disease in every state in Australia; however in most states the disease is categorised as notifiable, but non-actionable, meaning that only the owner of the sheep who receives a positive OJD test result is notified. There is no legal obligation for a producer to inform his/her neighbour of a confirmed OJD case. For this reason, all producers are encouraged to have an effective biosecurity barrier. Q: What is considered an effective biosecurity barrier? A: There are no set criteria under the SHS for what is considered an effective biosecurity barrier. The new OJD Management Plan puts a greater emphasis on producers taking responsibility for biosecurity and disease risk management. Examples of good biosecurity practices include: Using a SHS Maintaining boundary fences in good order to prevent stock straying onto your property Developing a stray stock management plan with your neighbors for stock that may stray onto or off your property Isolating introduced stock from the existing flock for at least 10 days and monitoring for disease Controlling where people enter your property by limiting entry points and locking restricted entry gates

5 Fencing off water ways which can play a role in disease spread from neighboring properties. More information on farm biosecurity can be obtained on Q: What are the National OJD Standard Definitions, Rules and Guidelines (SDR&Gs)? A: SDR&Gs are a set nationally accepted standards and practices upon which the States, Territories and Industry develop disease management programs based on their situations. Q: What requirements, in accordance with the SDR&Gs, need to be met to be cleared of being an OJD infected flock? A: Flocks that are infected with OJD are no longer regarded as infected when: The whole flock consists of Approved Vaccinates and has undertaken a Faecal (PFC) 350 Test with negative results, at a minimum of 2 years after the last known detected infected animal has been removed; or A destocking /decontamination program approved by the CVO of the jurisdiction has been completed. Q: What requirements, in accordance with the SDR&Gs, need to be met to clear a flock suspected of being infected with OJD? A: For a flock to no longer is considered suspected of being infected the flock must comply with one of the following: Suspicion has been removed to the satisfaction of the Chief Veterinary Officer; or The whole flock has been submitted to a Faecal (PFC) 350 test with negative results, at a minimum of 2 years after the last known suspected of being infected or detected infected animal has been destocked; or A destocking /decontamination program approved by the CVO of the jurisdiction has been completed. Q: Section C5 refers to Approved vaccinates which applies to sheep vaccinated between 4 to 16 weeks of age. Can sheep be vaccinated at an older age or is the vaccine less effective in older sheep? A: Older sheep can still be vaccinated with Gudair, however, they will not be considered approved vaccinates unless the sheep are from: A SheepMAP flock, or A flock that has achieved a negative PFC350 test in the past 24 months prior to vaccination, or A flock that had a negative Ab500 status at the time of vaccination.

6 Sheep vaccinated with Gudair over the age of 16 weeks may still be protected, providing they have not been exposed to the OJD bacteria prior to vaccination. Young animals are most susceptible to the disease. Therefore, it is important that animals are vaccinated early enough to avoid contracting the disease as sheep might not show clinical signs until two years of age. Sheep may shed the bacteria long before clinical signs are observed. For vaccine uptake to be successful and to get the maximum protection the vaccine can offer, animals should be vaccinated according to label directions. Q: Section C5 (b) What do I declare if I stopped vaccinating for a year, but have otherwise been continuously vaccinating? A: This section only recognises the period of continuous vaccination of the whole flock. For example, if you began vaccinating five years ago, but after two years ceased vaccinating for a year, then you can only declare the last two years of continuous treatments. Use Section E Additional Information to explain the full vaccination history. Q: Section C5 (b) I only vaccinate my ewe lambs what do I declare? A: Section C5(b) applies to the consignment flock and the length of time that ALL of the retained lambs have been vaccinated for OJD. If you have only vaccinated part of your flock, for example the ewe portion, then you should declare this information to buyers in Section E of the document. Q: Section C6 what does Other refer to? A: This provides the opportunity for producers to indicate if the introduced sheep were from a historically low prevalence area or were sheep with an ABC score of at least 4, or were from an area with a Regional Biosecurity Plan. Q: Section E What information can I include in this section? A: A producer may wish to add additional information about the consignment and/or consignment flock that is not already covered by answering the listed questions. Examples may include historical tests or prevalence areas for OJD, history of OJD vaccination if not continuous, worm resistance test results, where introduced sheep were sourced from, blood lines, micron, breed society, etc. Q: Section F Is the document legally binding? A: Signing this declaration has legal significance. Regulatory authorities may take legal action, and purchasers may seek damages for any information that is incorrect. Before signing you must be satisfied you understand all elements of the document, and the explanatory notes.