Why the sheep industry could drag down everyone if we get FMD

The inability to quickly track sheep movements could leave the whole livestock industry exposed if there is a FMD outbreak in Australia.

Pressure is mounting for the sheep industry to adopt a national electronic tag system over fears it could take three to four weeks to trace stock if Foot and Mouth Disease is found in Australia.

Agribusiness Australia and the Cattle Council of Australia have joined calls for a sheep national electronic identification system like that used in the beef industry to prevent fallout from any disease incursion.

Calls for electronic sheep tracking are increasing due to the proximity of FMD to Australia. Picture: Zoe Phillips

Agribusiness Australia chairman Mark Allison said the mob-based system for tracing sheep “lacked the efficacy of the cattle industry’s EID tag system”.

“The introduction of EID and associated systems for tracking and tracing sheep/goats would greatly increase the speed of tracing animals during an outbreak of FMD or other exotic diseases,” Mr Allison said.

“Australian agriculture needs to use all the technology and systems available to protect our markets and rural communities.”

Cattle Council of Australia chief executive John McGoverne said the organisation “wanted to see all red meat species use electronic tags”.

“Mandatory use of EID across all species would be a critical tool in managing any animal disease outbreak,” Mr McGoverne said.

Victorian Farmers Federation livestock group president Steve Harrison said some states were procrastinating about a national electronic tagging system for sheep.

While EID was mandatory in Victoria, other states were failing to follow suit which Mr Harrison said risked biosecurity.

“The reason for EID tags and a national database is biosecurity first, second and third, especially with this threat around FMD,” Mr Harrison said.

“Other states are coming up with excuses, but we’ve shown we can do it in Victoria with 98 or 99 per cent accuracy in tracing, even at big sales like Hamilton where 50,000 sheep were scanned in and out in one day.

“We can trace sheep in one to three days, but the mob-based system will take three to four weeks to trace sheep.

“Other states may want to look at alternatives but that will take time and we just don’t have time.

“If we get an outbreak of FMD, the cost of tags which is one of the constant complaints will look cheap in comparison to the cost of being banned from markets.”

SheepProducers Australia chief executive Bonnie Skinner said the organisation was supportive of whole-of-system traceability reform of which “individual electronic identification is a vital component”.

“Given the inherent complexity of traceability, it is only through national co-operation that we can strengthen the current system and evolving to the system we need with the required level of urgency,” Ms Skinner said.