Indonesia detects more LSD cases in Australian cattle

Indonesia has detected eight animals with lumpy skin disease (LSD) in Australian cattle after they arrived in Indonesia, according to Australia's Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

The Indonesian government advised Australia on 2 September that eight more animals have tested positive for LSD. The cattle were exported from three Australian registered yards, and the Indonesian Agricultural Quarantine Agency has requested pre-export testing of cattle from the three establishments before export to Indonesia. Indonesia first detected LSD in Australian cattle on 28 April.

These measures follow Indonesian authorities' suspension of four Australian yards in July, after detecting lumpy skin disease (LSD) in Australian-origin cattle three weeks post arrival in Indonesia. Indonesia has not formally suspended exports from these three yards, but the extensive testing requirements make live cattle exports cost-prohibitive. The increased costs make live exports from these facilities not feasible, taking a major market away from northern cattle producers. Northern and Western Australia (WA) feedlots cannot absorb the volumes of cattle ready for sale and eastern states of Australia are already experiencing high cattle supply because of the ongoing dry weather, making it unfeasible to divert cattle volumes to these three markets for most northern producers.

If the suspension and restrictions are not lifted soon, many northern producers will be forced to let cattle go back out into the paddocks for the wet season period from November to March, before trying to sell them after the wet season. Live exports, especially in WA's Broome town, slow dramatically through these months as monsoons hit the northern parts of Australia.

"We remain confident of Australia's LSD-free status, and it is in the interests of both countries that trade be normalised in the least trade restrictive way" said Acting Chief Veterinary Officer of Australia Dr Beth Cookson on 4 September.

DAFF recently finalised an investigation into the health status of Australia's northern cattle herds. The Australian government are continuing to treat the incidents as biosecurity issues and have provided Indonesia and Malaysia with the results from the investigation. Mote than 1,000 head of cattle were tested in Australia and LSD was not detected.

By Jessica Clarke