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Finally, a comprehensive sampling protocol involving a large list of tissues to be sampled was provided for those situations where a comprehensive necropsy was performed.
4.2.1.3 Additional procedures
A variety of additional information was provided in the Veterinary Export Handbook W.LIV.0252 to provide resource material to guide AAVs in collecting and storing
information and samples during a voyage.
Digital photographs were recognised as an excellent ancillary source of visual information about sick and dead animals. Information was provided about how to take, label and store
digital images from sick animals and from necropsies.
A standardised veterinary kit was defined for the purposes of this project list of equipment considered necessary to perform the tasks described in research protocols. The list was
reconciled against equipment already considered to be standard and supplied by either the AAV or by the ship. All additional items defined in the list were then provided by the project
and loaded onto each participating vessel at the time cattle were loaded. This ensured that AAVs had all the equipment required to complete any procedures they were being requested
to do as part of the project. The equipment included sample collection and storage items and a range of more specialised necropsy equipment to ensure that all aspects of a necropsy
could be undertaken to the same standard.
Advice was provided on how to label and store samples on board the vessel and how to package up all the samples and completed paperwork at the end of the voyage. Forms were
provided for the AAV to complete at the end of the voyage in preparation for importation of the stored samples back into Australia. Stored samples and completed import forms were
then held on the vessel until it docked in an Australian port to begin another voyage. At that time a member of the project team would visit the vessel and collect the stored samples and
related paperwork and process them through quarantine for importation into Australia.
Forms were also included in the kit for AAVs to complete as an inventory assessment of the equipment kit. When the vessel docked back in an Australian port the visiting project team
member could then review the equipment list and replenish or replace equipment as necessary to ensure that the vessel had a full set of equipment before the start of the next
voyage.
4.2.2 Results from other objectives under Stage 1
