Friday, March 29, 2024

Ag Speak – Experts encourage FMD vigilance

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Kristin Murdock, Naracoorte Community News

While foot and mouth disease (FMD) remains active in Indonesia, officials there say they hope to bring the outbreak under control by the end of the year thanks to a rollout of vaccinations.

The country’s FMD Task Force spokesperson, Professor Wiku Adisasmito, said there had been more than 450,000 cases of FMD confirmed or suspected across 22 of the country’s 37 provinces.

Professor Adisasmito said there had been no new reported infections in four of the 22 affected areas, including Bali, where 556 infected cattle have died or been slaughtered.

More than 840,000 vaccine doses have been administered in affected areas of the country and in July, Australia announced it would provide Indonesia with one million doses of FMD vaccine.

Australia’s National Farmer’s Federation (NFF) President, Fiona Simson said bringing together agriculture officials and other emergency management and response agencies is the right idea.

“Industry has been planning for a Foot and Mouth Disease incursion for decades,” she said. “We have a world class biosecurity system, and we have detailed and effective plans in place to manage an incursion, but that doesn’t mean we should be complacent. If a serious disease such as FMD hits Australia, it won’t just be an industry problem. It’s appropriate to have a broad cross section of emergency management agencies come together to support the ongoing review and enhancement of our preparedness and response plans. Australia remains free from FMD and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), but these threats and others are right on our doorstep. Now is the time to check and re-check our preparedness, while ensuring every step is taken to keep these diseases off our shores.”

The NFF continues to call for 100 per cent screening of inbound passengers from high-risk areas such as Indonesia while we are in a period of increased risk.

The Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) is also urging vigilance, asking everyone who has been or is planning to travel to Indonesia to be extremely cautious when returning to rural communities.

“FMD is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs,” RDAA President Dr Megan Belot said.

“Unfortunately, if it gets on to a farm, this results in all of the livestock being euthanised and the carcasses burned. This is clearly devastating to the owners, extremely damaging to their mental state and health, and would have a huge impact on their local rural economy and community. When I’m not at work I help out on our beef farm. We have spent seven years breeding up our herd – a fraction of the time of many other farmers – and I know that if we had to slaughter our livestock we would be completely heartbroken. Anyone returning to Australia after visiting a farm or interacting with livestock abroad should declare this upon their return, so steps can be taken to remove the risk of transmission through contaminated clothing or dirty shoes. If you’ve just been to Bali, don’t bring any animal products back, throw your thongs away, and stay off the farm until your clothes have been washed and shoes disinfected. If you are a farmer, be hyper-vigilant with people who come into contact with your livestock and make sure they haven’t been in Bali or anywhere else in Indonesia for at least a week,” Dr Belot said.

Naracoorte Community News 7 September 2022

This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.

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