Health and Welfare

Abattoir Traceback of Cattle Granulomas

In 1992 Australia put in place the National Granuloma Submission Program (NGSP) to monitor the tuberculosis freedom of our cattle herds. The purpose of the NGSP is to collect all granulomas, so that any remaining tuberculosis (TB) is detected as early as possible to minimise disease spread. It is not possible for meat inspectors to distinguish between TB and other granulomas visually, so any granulomas found in cattle or buffalo processed through Australian abattoirs are examined at State/Territory veterinary laboratories.[more]

Bluetonge in Cattle

Bluetonge has been known to occur in the northern areas of the Northern Territory since the 1970s. Infection of cattle by this virus has not been known to cause any clinical symptoms in Australia. [more]

Botulism Poisoning in Cattle in the Northern Territory

Botulism in probably the most significant single disease problem for NT herds. It ranks after nutrition and management problems in cost to the beef industry.   [more]

Coccidiosis in Cattle

Cattle producers should be aware of the possibility of black scours (coccidiosis) in weaners, which can cause significant set back and death. Once recognised, the problem can be managed. [more]

Dehorning and Castration of Calves

Dehorning and castration are essential management practices for the Northern Territory's cattle industry. However, it is important to note that there are national animal welfare guidelines prepared by the Standing Committee of Agriculture that monitor these activities. [more]

Diseases that can be Transmitted from Animals to Humans

Diseases that can spread from animals to humans are known as zoonoses. This article briefly describes the common zoonoses found in the Northern Territory. [more]

Freeze Branding

An alternative branding method for the identification of cattle and horses. [more]

Health Certificate and Waybill for Cattle Entering the NT

Cattle being imported into the Northern Territory require health certification and/or tests and treatments to prevent the introduction of serious diseases from other parts of Australia. [more]

Heat Stress in Cattle

Heat stress is an important animal welfare issue for the cattle industry in northern Australia.Serious heat stress incidents associated with live cattle exports attracted community concern in the mid-1990s. These incidents highlighted the need for risk management when handling and transporting cattle in hot and humid conditions. [more]

Management of a Plunge Cattle Dip

Plunge dips are the most efficient method of treating cattle for tick control. However, if the plunge dip is not managed correctly, this efficiency is lost. [more]

New Feeding Bans on Ruminants to Prevent BSE

In order to maintain consumer confidence in the safety of red meat, Australia banned the importation of cattle, embryos and meat and bone meal from infected countries since 1988. [more]

Tetanus

Tetanus is an acute disease of mammals characterised by muscular spasms and increased sensitivity to stimuli. Tetanus occurs in man and has been reported in all domestic animals except the cat. In the Northern Territory the disease has been recorded in horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and dogs. Horses are reported to be the most susceptible to the disease. [more]

The Cattle Tick

The cattle tick is the most serious external parasite of cattle in northern Australia. It transmits tick fever and if uncontrolled, can cause serious losses to the cattle industry. [more]

The Life Cycles of the Tick Fever Parasites

The cattle tick (Boophilus microplus) has been a major problem to the cattle industry in northern Australia for almost 100 years. [more]

The use of Ivomec in the Gulf District of the Northern Territory

The aim of this demonstration was to contribute local field data to information enabling extension officers to make recommendations to pastoralists on the use of Ivomec. in steers suitable for export, in the Gulf district of the Northern Territory. [more]

Three Day Sickness or Ephemeral Fever

This is a virus disease of cattle that is constantly present in the Top End of the NT and affects cattle across most regions. [more]

Tick Fevers of Cattle

Tick fever if uncontrolled, can cause serious losses to the cattle industry. [more]

Tick Fever Survey in the Northern Territory

Protection of native cattle against tick fever in the tick endemic area of the Northern Territory has always been presumed to be high. Tick fever cases are rarely reported from endemic tick areas. Known tick fever outbreaks have been limited to tick incursions into tick free areas, often associated with inadequate tick control in droving mobs during the 1950s and early 1960s. [more]

Toxicity Experiments of Rubberbush (Calotropix pocera) Fed to Cattle and Sheep

Rubberbush (Calotropis procera) is a coarse shrub native to tropical Asia and Africa (Everist 1974) which has naturalized in the Kimberley District of Western Australia, the "Top End" of the Northern Territory and a few areas of Northern Queensland (Chippendale and Murray 1963). [more]

Trichomoniasis in the Northern Territory

Trichomoniasis is particularly prevalent in large beef herds under extensive conditions in northern Australia. Trichomoniasis is a contagious venereal disease that causes infertility in cows. [more]

Use of Hormone Growth Promotants in the NT

Hormonal Growth Promotants (HGPs) are implants registered for use in cattle and buffalo to increase the rate of weight gain on good feed. [more]

Urea Poisoning in Cattle

Urea is used as a source of non-protein nitrogen in feed supplements. Urea poisoning is one of the more commonly suspected toxicities of cattle in the NT. [more]

Vibriosis in Northern Territory

Vibriosis, a venereal disease of cattle, is present in most regions of the Northern Territory. [more]