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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.
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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.
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Cold Winter Climates
Figure 1.6. Unloading beef heifers in Kazakhstan. Source: International Agriculture for Development.
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Beef Breeder MANUAL
1.2.10. Arrival Checklist