After completing your biosecurity plan, you are strongly encouraged to undertake the endemic disease modules specific to sheep and cattle. This is a good way to test your biosecurity plan.
Disease risk ratings for sheep include:
- footrot
- Johne’s disease
- lice
- ovine brucellosis
Disease risk ratings for cattle include:
The questionnaires for each disease only take 5 minutes to complete providing you with a:
- better understanding of the disease
- risk rating status for your property
- summary document you can share
- practical test of how well your biosecurity plan is working
- credible framework for risk-based trading
The disease risk rating modules also encourage an alertness to disease symptoms and disease detection. This is essential for combatting the extremely costly threat of exotic disease in Australia.
Risk rating status classification
From the answers provided in the questionnaire classifications of ‘independently assessed’, ‘self-assessed’ or ‘managed’ is provided as outlined below. If no information is provided, or the practices carried out do not meet the criteria for one of these categories, the system will default to ‘not currently classified’.
Properties rated as ‘independently assessed’ or ‘self-assessed’ are considered low risk for the presence of that disease, with high levels of biosecurity in place.
Independently assessed status
Accreditation from an independent assessor, such as a veterinarian, that clinical disease is not present. Lowest risk for the presence of that disease, with high levels of biosecurity in place.
Self-assessed status
You have self-assessed your disease risks but have not used any independent parties to verify this. Low risk for the presence of that disease, with high levels of biosecurity in place.
Managed status
The disease is known or suspected to occur in your livestock and specific biosecurity practices are undertaken to support active disease management and minimise spread of the disease. Medium risk with moderate levels of biosecurity in place.
Not currently classified – unknown risk
If sufficient information is not provided, or the practices do not meet the criteria for one of the other categories, the system will default to not currently classified. Highest risk and more information needed, or practice change required to achieve one of the other statuses.
Further information