Livestock Biosecurity Funds – Grant Program

Control and prevention of anthrax

Biosecurity Victoria – DEECA

Anthrax outbreaks cause financial and stock losses for affected producers and put export markets at risk. This project, through the provision of an otherwise restricted vaccine, and contracted veterinary services to administer it, assists producers to quickly vaccinate livestock during an anthrax outbreak and then undertake annual preventative vaccination, thereby reducing the impact of the disease and decreasing the likelihood of future anthrax incidents on the farm.

$150,000.00

Optimal outcomes for Victoria during a FMD incursion

Biosecurity Victoria – DEECA

The project compares vaccinate-to-die versus vaccinate-to-live policies, with specific emphasis on the impact of both policies within Victoria. It includes an assessment of time for export markets to return Intangibles such as mental health, animal welfare, impacts of social media, and the risk of future FMD incursions (i.e., predicted long term success of response activities) is also in the scope of the project.

$75,000.00

Victorian Significant Disease Investigation (SDI) Program

Biosecurity Victoria – DEECA

Early detection of emerging or exotic diseases is the key to their effective management. The SDI program provides subsidies to private veterinarians to undertake comprehensive investigations of significant disease events. It also provides subsidies to livestock producers when they engage a private veterinarian to investigate disease outbreaks.

$360,000.00

Community pig control and surveillance

Forest, Fires and Regions – DEECA

Pilot program working with producers on private and private/public interface to control feral pigs and assist in monitoring genetics and presence or proof of absence of disease.

$101,059.00

CRLX Enhanced Traceability Initiative

RLX Operating Company Pty Ltd

CRLX is a saleyard facility in the southwest of Victoria, with of 25,000 head of cattle per annum passing through sales - regional transit facility for Victoria, interstate and export cattle - the initiative will provide surveillance of all untracked cattle movements throughout the facility - opportunity to strengthen the Victorian biosecurity system with early detection and close monitoring.

$45,930.00

Electronic National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) (Cattle) tag subsidy

Biosecurity Victoria – DEECA

Victoria’s electronic NLIS (Cattle) helps maintain the low-disease status of Victoria’s cattle industry and protects Victoria’s reputation in domestic and export markets as a supplier of wholesome meat and dairy products. An essential feature of the system are the electronic tags used to uniquely identify animals. The tag subsidy project gives producers access to attractively priced electronic NLIS tags.

$2,700,000.00

Improving antimicrobial susceptibility testing for cattle

Agriculture Victoria Research – DEECA

Accurate identification of the disease-causing pathogen and determining its antimicrobial susceptibility is critical for managing bacterial infections in animals. Standardisation of methods will allow for benchmarking of AMR both within the state and nationally and facilitate the reduction of AMR in the livestock industry.

$108,585.18

Property Identification Code (PIC) refresh for cattle producers

Biosecurity Victoria – DEECA

The project will focus on refreshing Victoria’s PIC register of cattle producers and will also involve working with producers to ensure that all parcels of land associated with their enterprises are linked to their PICs. The importance of Victoria’s PIC register from biosecurity perspective will also be promoted.

$150,000.00

Control and prevention of anthrax

Biosecurity Victoria – DEECA

Anthrax outbreaks cause financial and stock losses for affected producers and put export markets at risk. This project, through the provision of an otherwise restricted vaccine, and contracted veterinary services to administer it, assists producers to quickly vaccinate livestock during an anthrax outbreak and then undertake annual preventative vaccination, thereby reducing the impact of the disease and decreasing the likelihood of future anthrax incidents on the farm.

$75,000.00

Optimal outcomes for Victoria during a FMD incursion

Biosecurity Victoria – DEECA

The project compares vaccinate-to-die versus vaccinate-to-live policies, with specific emphasis on the impact of both policies within Victoria. It includes an assessment of time for export markets to return. Intangibles such as mental health, animal welfare, impacts of social media, and the risk of future FMD incursions (i.e., predicted long term success of response activities) is also in the scope of the project.

$75,000.00

Victorian Significant Disease Investigation (SDI) Program

Biosecurity Victoria – DEECA

Early detection of emerging or exotic diseases is the key to their effective management. The SDI program provides subsidies to private veterinarians to undertake comprehensive investigations of significant disease events. It also provides subsidies to livestock producers when they engage a private veterinarian to investigate disease outbreaks.

$360,000.00

Community pig control and surveillance

Forest, Fires and Regions – DEECA

Pilot program working with producers on private and private/public interface to control feral pigs and assist in monitoring genetics and presence or proof of absence of disease.

$63,533.00

Electronic National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) (Sheep) tag subsidy

Biosecurity Victoria – DEECA

Victoria’s electronic NLIS (Sheep & Goats) helps maintain the low-disease status of Victoria’s sheep and goat industries, and protects Victoria’s reputation in domestic and export markets as a supplier of wholesome meat and dairy products. An essential feature of the system is the electronic tags used to uniquely identify animals. The tag subsidy project gives producers access to attractively priced electronic NLIS tags.

$2,925,000.00

Rapid On-farm Test for Barber’s Pole Worm

Federation University Australia

This project will validate an on-farm test for Barber’s Pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) which can be conducted within 3-4 h by a sheep/goat producer at a cost as little as $5/test. The project will use technology previously developed in a lab setting and transfer the technology to the farm-gate. Fast, accurate diagnosis is important for farmers in order to implement appropriate management of Barber’s Pole and to detect early infections before production loss and stock loss occurs.

$96,860.00

Sheep and goat duty reconciliation with animals transacted in Victoria

Biosecurity Victoria – DEECA

Investigation of underpayment of duties. Where appropriate, corrective action can then be taken. The project will also raise awareness of how duty related income into the Fund is used.

$160,000.00

Stock Sense Livestock

VFF

Extension of existing project helping Victorian livestock producers adopt animal health and production practices that improve animal welfare and Victoria’s biosecurity status.

$365,000.00

Sustainable control of parasites in Victorian pigs

University Of Melbourne - Werribee Vet Clinic

This project will establish, for the first time in Victoria, (i) the prevalence and intensity of internal parasites in commercial and backyard pigs, and associated risk factors, (ii) a new serological diagnostic test for the early detection of Ascaris sum and (ii) the parasite control practices presently used by pig producers, to promote pig health, welfare and biosecurity.

$147,656.00

Victorian Significant Disease Investigation (SDI) Program

Biosecurity Victoria – DEECA

Early detection of emerging or exotic diseases is the key to their effective management. The SDI program provides subsidies to private veterinarians to undertake comprehensive investigations of significant disease events. It also provides subsidies to livestock producers when they engage a private veterinarian to investigate disease outbreaks.

$30,000.00

Online 'Pathology of the Pig' Resource

Biosecurity Victoria – DEECA

This project will recreate the content rich ‘Pathology of the Pig – A diagnostic guide’ text book into a user friendly, online pathology of the pig resource, accessible anywhere, any-time, principally for veterinarians. The resource will form an important component of a broader solution to enhance animal health and welfare.

$63,890.00

Conference speaker on varroa

Victorian Apiarists' Association

Support for a guest speaker on the control of varroa in managed beehives and the impact of varroa on a beekeeping business. Varroa has the potential to have a severe negative impact on beehives and the beekeeping industry.

$4,704.48

Co-funding to support continued delivery of the National Bee Biosecurity Program in Victoria

Biosecurity Victoria – DEECA

The National Bee Biosecurity Program (NBBP) improves the management of established pests and diseases, and increases the preparedness and surveillance of exotic pest threats in the honey bee industry through the appointment of Bee Biosecurity Officers (BBOs) in each state

$35,004.00