LIVESTOCK owners are reminded they must comply with NSW cattle tick biosecurity regulations when crossing the border from Queensland.
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NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) senior veterinary officer, Paul Freeman, said livestock owners are responsible for ensuring their animals are free of cattle tick before transportation into NSW.
“In July 2016 new cattle tick management regulations were introduced in Queensland, while NSW regulations remain unchanged,” Mr Freeman said.
“NSW requires all stock originating from the Queensland cattle tick infested zone to be treated and inspected before entering NSW, including secondary host species such as horses and camelids.
“Treatment must be undertaken by either an authorised officer in Queensland who will issue a Queensland biosecurity certificate which must accompany the stock, or by a NSW DPI inspector at the NSW DPI Kirra clearing centre.
“Queensland biosecurity certificates must be delivered, emailed or faxed to the Kirra clearing facility before entering NSW east of Boonah. Stock treated at the Kirra clearing centre will be issued permits by the on-duty NSW DPI inspector.”
A movement record is not accepted as evidence of treatment for movement into NSW.
Mr Freeman said existing arrangements for some categories of horses, such as racehorses and performance horses, entering NSW will continue.
“NSW operates surveillance cameras along the Queensland border to monitor stock entering NSW. Owners of animals entering NSW without meeting the NSW entry requirements for cattle tick may be fined or prosecuted,” he said.
“The control and eradication of cattle ticks is extremely important to the viability of the cattle and dairy industries in north-eastern NSW.
“Cattle ticks are the most serious external parasite of cattle in Australia, costing the industry an estimated $161 million each year from production impacts and costs of treatments and preventive vaccines.”
Information on moving horses from Queensland and NSW is available on the NSW DPI websitehttp://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/content/agriculture/livestock/health/images/information-by-species/cattle/ticks/moving-horses-qld-nsw
