Second country suspends live cattle exports from Australia over disease fears

A second country has joined Indonesia in suspending live cattle exports from some Australian facilities over fears lumpy skin disease is present in the country.

Cattle with lumpy skin disease show lesions on their skin and production losses .

A second country has joined Indonesia in suspending live cattle exports from Australia over fears lumpy skin disease is present in the country.

Indonesia last month suspended live cattle imports from four Australian export holding yards after claiming to have detected highly infectious lumpy skin disease in Australian cattle.

Australian authorities have denied the cattle were infected with the virus before they were shipped to Indonesia from facilities in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Australia’s chief veterinary officer Mark Schipp said Malaysia had gone further than Indonesia and suspended all live cattle and buffalo exports from Australia.

“We understand this decision was based on Indonesia’s advice that they will not accept cattle from four specific export establishments following detection of LSD in exported Australian cattle after they had arrived and spent time in Indonesia,” Dr Schipp said.

“We are working to finalise the investigation into the relevant health status of the cattle herds associated with these establishments to provide the assurances that Indonesia has requested.”

Dr Schipp said he had spoken to his Malaysian counterpart and requested the import restriction be lifted immediately.

“Australia is urgently engaging with its Malaysian counterparts to confirm our robust animal health system, and to advise that LSD is not present in Australia,” Dr Schipp said.

“I have also confirmed to the World Organisation for Animal Health that Australia remains LSD free in accordance with international standards.”

The virus, which causes production losses in cattle and buffalo and threatens to wipe out Australia’s beef industry, is prevalent in Indonesia and ­Malaysia.

Australian authorities have been busy testing cattle held in the affected yards and it is understood that no cattle have so far tested positive to the disease.

Malaysia is a relatively small importer of live cattle and buffalo from Australia compared to Indonesia, which is the most significant market.

However, Australian authorities are concerned that other countries may follow suit and declare suspensions on imports until Australia can definitively prove that the virus is not circulating domestically.

Dr Schipp has said it is more likely that the cattle, shipped from Darwin, Wyndham and Townsville last month, picked up the virus in Indonesia.

The point of conflict is the relatively short incubation period required if the cattle did become infectious after arriving in Indonesia.

Indonesia has given Australia 60 days from July 12 to prove that the virus is not present in ­Australia.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry estimates a serious outbreak of lumpy skin disease in Australia would cost the economy $7.39bn.

A local outbreak would severely disrupt trade relationships and could also affect meat and dairy exports.

Modelling by the Centre of ­Excellence for Biosecurity Analysis last year estimated there was a 28 per cent chance of a lumpy skin disease outbreak in Australia in the next five years.