Prevention and Control

Primary Industries and Resources South Australia (PIRSA) in conjunction with the South Australian Dairy Industry and with funds from the Cattle Industry Fund, is currently undertaking the South Australian EBL eradication program, in South Australian dairy herd based on a nationally agreed testing regime. Screening is done using milk collected as part of the herd testing program. This is a bulk sample and gives a general idea of a herd’s status. If it is positive, then each animal over 6 months of age in the herd is tested to identify the infected animal(s).

Large dairy herds which contain greater than 250 cows at any stage of the year are now subjected to a more intensive bulk milk testing program.  This testing also occurs in association with the herd testing program.  At the 30 June 2003 there were no dairy herds that were under investigation for EBL.

Abattoir traces from beef and dairy herds with gymphosarcomas have been investigated by complete testing of the herds.

Importation of dairy cattle from interstate will need to be accompanied by a completed Form 1 Health Certificate.  A requirement of the Form 1 Health Certificate is that all dairy cattle must be tested negative within 30 days prior to entry and not from a herd whose EBL status is Nonassessed (NA), Infected (IN), Suspect (SU) or Provisionally Clear (PC).