● Sheep and Goat eIDs: With mandatory electronic identification for sheep and goats coming into effect nationally from 1 January 2025, a range of resources to assist producers with the transition are available in June’s seasonal actions.
Producers seeking more guidance on making the shift should register for one of the many webinars or in-person events happening over coming months.
● Biosecurity: With several outbreaks of bird flu recorded at poultry farms in Victoria and NSW in recent weeks, managing biosecurity should remain top of mind for red meat producers. Producers should continue to ensure their on-farm biosecurity plans are up to date and can use this checklist to quickly assess their current position.
● On-farm chemicals: Producers should be registered for email alerts from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) or ensure they regularly check the APVMA website to stay up to date with any chemical recalls or status changes.
● Show season: With the EKKA kicking off in Brisbane next month, it’s a reminder that producers planning to exhibit their livestock at shows or exhibitions in coming months need to understand the specific requirements for their state or territory. See June’s story on Traceability from paddock to showring for more detailed information.
● ISC housekeeping: Consider taking time to update your traceability paperwork, if necessary, by reconciling your Property Identification Code (PIC), updating your LPA records, downloading an LPA record-keeping book, or reviewing your on-farm plans to make sure they are up to date for the current conditions, etc.
● Streamline your livestock sales: Recent upgrades to the electronic National Vendor Declaration (eNVD) mean Sales Agents can now split consignments, meaning only one eNVD is required even when selling to multiple purchasers. If you’re selling livestock over the coming months, consider speaking to your agent and letting them know about this new functionality to help streamline your livestock sales.
Get organised and stay LPA compliant over the coming months with these suggested actions to help you get the most out of your integrity tools.
● Sheep and Goat eIDs: With mandatory electronic identification for sheep and goats coming into effect nationally from 1 January 2025, producers who haven’t already made the switch should be making preparations.
● Lambing: With parts of Australia still in lambing season, it’s a good opportunity for producers to begin tagging the flock for whole of life traceability.
● Docking: With lamb docking happening in some parts of the country right now, those producers might want to review section 6 of the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Sheep to make sure they are compliant with their responsibilities under the LPA requirements.
● Supplemental feed: As we come into winter, some producers may be relying on stockfeed to supplement their pastures until the spring rains.
● Biosecurity: In recent months, we’ve seen some parts of the United States impacted by the transmission of bird flu to beef and dairy cattle herds, as well as the flow-on effects this has had for the US cattle market. While this scenario is unlikely to ever occur in Australia, it’s a timely reminder of the threat animal diseases pose for our markets and the importance of regularly reviewing and, if necessary, updating on-farm biosecurity plans.