Monitoring In Quarantine General Health and Husbandry

15 Cold Winter Climates

1.2.8. Monitoring In Quarantine

It should be anticipated that cattle imported from Australia will take about 2 to 4 weeks to recover and return to full production. So that their recovery can be monitored and assessed, when the cattle arrive at the farm they should be thoroughly inspected and weighed and body condition scored refer section 4.1.1 at least twice during the quarantine period; i.e. on arrival at the farm, and upon release from quarantine. Some additional information may also be available from the previous owners of the cattle in Australia. This may be provided from the National Vendor Declaration NVD that the Australian seller will provide to the exporter, and may include details such as previous vaccinations. This information may be useful for the short and long term management of the animals. All of the animals will be identiied by radio frequency identiication RFID tags and Australian Export Tags Fig. Figure 1.5. Freeze brand applied to the upper rump area on a beef bull. Source: Guide to Best Practice Husbandry in Beef Cattle. Meat Livestock Australia. 1.4. The number on these tags should be noted, and records of each animal should be kept so that animals can be traced for the remainder of their life in their destination country. The importer may subsequently elect to use their own Management ear tags, or alternatively, the cattle may be freeze branded Fig. 1.5 so that they can be visually identiied with ease. In either case, these identiication numbers and the original identiication numbers must be recorded alongside the importation identiication so that the identity of the cattle can be substantiated in the future. In a number of countries, freeze brands are currently applied to the cheeks of dairy cattle to identify the animals. Animal welfare standards in Australia currently propose that a permanent brand is not permitted to be located anywhere on the head of cattle. 16 Beef Breeder MANUAL

1.2.9. General Health and Husbandry

Critical disease prevention activities need to be carried out as soon as possible after the cattle arrive. These activities will be determined based on local veterinary regulations and documented animal histories provided by the importing agent. These may include vaccination of heifers with clostridial vaccinations for example 5, 6, 7 or 8 in 1 vaccines, and treatment for lice and intestinal nematodes worm treatment - drenching. It would be advisable to administer a number of additional vaccinations to the cattle on their arrival if they have no previous record of having received them. These may include some of the vaccinations listed on the right. Advice should be obtained from local veterinarians as to whether any additional animal health treatments are required upon arrival. If any cattle die in the period immediately following importation, all cases must be thoroughly investigated by local veterinary authorities, and steps taken to ensure minimal deaths occur. 3 BOVINE RESPIRATORY DISEASE Cattle may be housed and may therefore be at an elevated risk of contracting respiratory infections. Products include Vira Shield Novartis Animal Health, Feeder Guard, or Bovilis MH+IBR Coopers Animal Health. 3 SALMONELLOSIS Where cattle are housed, pigeons frequently co-inhabit the sheds, thus salmonellosis risk is prevalent. Products include Bovilis S Coopers Animal Health. 3 LEPTOSPIROSIS COMBINATION WITH CLOSTRIDIAL DISEASES Precaution for staf handling the cattle; products include Ultravac 7 in 1 Pizer, Cattlevax LC 7 in 1 Coopers Animal Health. 3 PESTIVIRUS BOVINE VIRAL DIARRHOEA Bovine viral diarrhoea virus is capable of causing a range of disease ‘syndromes’ in cattle herds, including acute diarrhoea, abortion, and mucosal disease. Products include Pestigard ZoetisPizer. 3 VIBRIOSIS Bovine Venereal Campylobacteriosis BVC is an important infectious venereal disease of cattle that causes infertility and abortion. Products include Vibrovax ZoetisPizer. 17 Cold Winter Climates Figure 1.6. Unloading beef heifers in Kazakhstan. Source: International Agriculture for Development. 18 Beef Breeder MANUAL

1.2.10. Arrival Checklist