Inverbrackie Border Leicesters: ‘The biggest risk to our business was ram sale time’

Disinfectant foot mats and double-fencing might seem over the top but the investment is worth it for one sheep stud. This is how they keep their stock safe.

Biosecurity is part of everyday business for the Inverbrackie Border Leicester stud but attention to detail has won them national recognition.

The Arney family, from Finniss, South Australia, has been awarded a commendation certificate which recognises “exceptional dedication to on-farm biosecurity and advocating biosecurity among their networks”.

The biosecurity awards were presented late last year by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Ellen Arney, who runs Inverbrackie with her parents Lynton and Clare, said it was a sense of responsibility to their clients as well as protecting their own stock which made biosecurity a focus.

“The biggest risk to our business was ram sale time, and we have done things to address that,” Ellen said.

Lynton and Ellen Arney from Inverbrackie Border Leicester stud at Finniss, South Australia.

Some of those measures include using a disinfectant foot mat that all visitors must walk on before going near the sheep, and not allowing others to drive across the property when visiting.

The Arneys also have a specified parking area for the ram sale, and do not put stock in that paddock for at least two weeks after the sale date.

Broader measures throughout the year include double perimeter fences which are higher than normal.

“We don’t do anything over the top,” Ellen said.

“People could say that what we do is expensive, but we balance that against the cost of getting a disease and eradicating it, and it would be more than the fencing and the disinfectant mats.”

She said they also did all ram deliveries themselves, to ensure that the high level of biosecurity of their Border Leicester rams was protected until they reached their destination.

“Producers are confident to buy our sheep without even seeing them, because they know the health is right,” Ellen said.

“I think everyone became more biosecurity conscious after the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (in Indonesia) and things like foot mats for disinfecting have just become normal on our operation.”