The following information was provided by Grant Daniel and Long Pty Ltd.   We have shared this as we find it extremely useful while trying to understand the new Biosecurity requirements and are sharing as a service to our friends in the Australian cattle industry.  We are not experts in this area and this is not professional advice.

JBas Scoring &Biosecurity Planning due 30 June, 2017

“As some of you may be aware by now, the Queensland Government has deregulated the State-wide monitoring programme for Johne’s Disease, formerly known as the Johne’s MAP programme.   It has been replaced by a self-assessment scheme called Johne’s Beef Assurance Score (J-BAS).

As part of this new programme, every farm must have an active Biosecurity Plan.  The transition period from the previous Johne’s MAP programme to the current J-BAS expires on 30 June 2017, meaning your biosecurity plans need to be implemented and/or signed off by a Vet by this date.

JBAS is an industry managed program it is market driven and is voluntary, but if you do not participate it will greatly reduce competition on your livestock.

The background of what has occurred is that Western Australia has set the benchmark at JBAS 7 to enter the state with cattle, the Northern Territory has their JBAS score set at 6 to enter the state, Queensland has no such entry requirements.

What does this mean to you if someone buys store cattle from you with the intention of sending cattle to the Northern Territory he must be a JBAS 6 and only buy cattle from people with a JBAS 6 or JBAS 7 herd, if you have a lower JBAS number they cannot buy your livestock from you. If the person he deals with in the Northern Territory sells cattle on to Western Australia everyone down the line from yourself the breeder, the backgrounder , the fattener in the Northern Territory have to be a JBAS 7.

So what do we do next ?

The basis of the entire program is that we are all a JBAS 7 until 30th June 2017, to retain a JBAS 7 you need to have an On farm Biosecurity Plan (attached) and have it approved by a Vet.  You then have twelve months from the 1st of July to do a check test of your herd, this involves testing 50 head of Livestock as selected by your vet once every three years.

The other option is to maintain a JBAS 6 score and this includes completing a On Farm Biosecurity Plan and filing it away, you do not require a Vet to view it and you do not require to test, this plan must be kept in a safe place so as it can be produced for Buyers of your livestock or if you are audited.

Just remember this is constantly changing, no-one knows the exact way it is going to pan out, I recommended that you use the resources provided to do your own research.

If you are on agistment you are responsible to make sure that your own herd is JBAS score ? (whatever you aim at) and that the place you go on agistment is the same. Subsequently if you have people on your place on agistment you should make sure their herd is the same JBAS score of your place or better, the JBas score is relative to a PIC number but if you are on a place on agistment you are not automatically covered under the properties Biosecurity template as you are responsible for your own cattle.

More information on JD in cattle and the J-BAS is available from:

I have attached a fact sheet (see links below) on Johne’s disease, information on JBas, a farm biosecurity action planner, National Cattle Health Declaration, a biosecurity plan (or there is an app, just search FarmBiosecurity at the App store or google play).

I know this may seem like an information overload but we all need to get our biosecurity plans done before the 30th June to secure our JBas score, if you do nothing you will get a JBas score of 0 and this may affect where you can sell your cattle in the future.

The bottom line is you need to print out and  fill out the Biosecurity Plan (see links), and store it in your filling cabinet, that way you are a J-Bas6, if you are not a stud that is all you need to do.

National Cattle Health Declarations (attached) need to be sent when selling cattle, this is as well as your NVD starting from the 1July 2017

This  information is to help you decide what you need to do, to suit your farm, speak to your vet or check out the web sites to make your decision.”

-Grant Daniel & Long Pty Ltd www.gdrural.com.au

Links:

Johnes Workshop Presentation: Johnes workshop presentation_LBN AgForce BQ_MayJBAS62017

JBAS Scoring Chart: J-BAS

Biosecurity Plan templates (choose the one that suits your operation best):

Cattle Health Declaration to be used when buying and selling cattle: NATIONAL_CATTLE_HEALTH_DECLARATION_nonfillable_251016_FA(1)Grazing-Manual-Biosecurity-Form