THE state’s sheep industry is expected to be at odds with the rest of Australia finding a national way forward for wasting disease ovine johnes disease.
Millions of dollars have been spent by industry here on eradication and later subsidising the vaccination of infected and at-risk flocks for up to five years.
This has kept the prevalence of OJD in SA to less than 1 per cent.
SA is the only state to remain under regulation and Livestock SA and the SA Sheep Advisory Group’s position is to support this.
But Livestock SA president Joe Keynes is urging producers to have their say in the Sheep Producers Australia and Wool Producers Australia survey about whether to continue, modify or scrap the national program.
“What happens nationally could determine what happens here,” he said.
Tantanoola sheep producer Peter Altschwager wants the national program maintained with some “fine-tuning.”
“We need something better than just an on-farm biosecurity plan, especially for those who want to continue trading into SA,” he said.
“People could have the best biosecurity plan but be surrounded by OJD (infected) flocks.
“If I thought we had lost the battle to control OJD here in SA I would say, but I believe we are still in front.”
Mr Altschwager, who was chair of the disbanded SA OJD technical committee for many years, says using the Gudair vaccine adds up economically, but there are dangers of “hanging everything on it”.
“The effectiveness of a flock varies greatly but at best it only controls 90pc of the disease,” he said.
“Many flocks rely heavily on vaccination and in some heavily-burdened flocks it tends to have a limited effect on the OJD bacterium and is being passed from the ewe in-utero.”
But Ouyen, Vic, Merino breeder Kevin Crook strongly believes OJD should be managed on-farm like any other disease.
“Five years ago there were those scared it would wipe the industry out and, while certain areas still need to be wary, if we use the Sheep Animal Health Statement and people look at them before they buy sheep it is all we need,” he said.
In 2014, the North Western Vic Regional Biosecurity Area, which covers nearly one-quarter of Vic, was established to enable SA competition to continue in Vic saleyards such as Wycheproof, Yelta and Swan Hill.
Mr Crook, who is the chair of the biosecurity area, says Vic flocks wanting to sell ewes and older sheep into SA have been subject to abattoir surveillance, but of hundreds of tests conducted in the past three years there has only been one positive from a mob that entered the area prior to the biosecurity plan.
“We are at the crossroads waiting to see what SA does but my preference is for them to throw (regulations) out – it should be buyer beware,” he said.
In July, after a joint PIRSA and industry review, vaccine subsidies were cut back.
Chief veterinary officer Roger Paskin said SA producers with new detections or their at-risk neighbours and trace property owners, would receive assistance through a 50pc Guidair vaccination subsidy for the first year only. The changes, with an emphasis on prevention to minimise the disease risk on properties, were part of a response to an increasing number of detections of OJD in the South East and Mount Lofty Ranges.
Seventy-five sheep properties are under management by PIRSA for OJD.
