News

Sheepcatcher II exercise to test sheep and goat traceability

Terry Sim, June 2, 2016

Animal Health Australia logoA NATIONAL sheep and goat traceability exercise — Sheepcatcher II – starts today to assess industry performance under the National Livestock Identification System.

Sheepcatcher II will run from June 2 till July 5 to assess the NLIS for sheep and goats against the National Livestock Traceability Performance Standards.

The exercise is being carried out by SAFEMEAT, the state and territory departments of agriculture from all jurisdictions  (except the NT) and Animal Health Australia.

It is the second traceability exercise to assess the NLIS (sheep and goats) since the implementation of NLIS in January 2006.

The exercise will be run using the same process as previous traceability exercises with 60 sheep and goats selected from various points in the production system, including saleyards and abattoirs.

Information gathered in the exercise will be used to guide future improvements of the NLIS for sheep and goats.

The standards applicable to all Foot and Mouth Disease-susceptible livestock that the Sheepcatcher II exercise will be tracing to include:

– Within 24 hours of the relevant chief veterinary officer being notified, it must be possible to determine the location(s) where a specified animal has been during the previous 30 days.

– Within 24 hours it must also be possible to determine the location(s) where all susceptible animals that resided concurrently and/or subsequently on any of the properties on which a specified animal has been in the last 30 days.

Standards applicable to all FMD-susceptible livestock except cattle include:

– Within 14 days of the relevant CVO being notified, it must be possible to determine all locations where a specified animal has been resident during its life.

– Within 21 days of the relevant CVO being notified, it must also be possible to determine the location of all susceptible that resided concurrently with a specified animal at any time during that specified animal’s life.

Source: Animal Health Australia.

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