Legal Requirements for OJD
Note Number: AG1128
Published: September 2003
Updated: January 2011
Ovine Johnes disease (OJD) is a notifiable disease. Legislation is in place to protect the Victorian sheep industries.
Notification of OJD
The Livestock Disease Control Act (1994) designates certain diseases, including OJD, to be notifiable. This means that both confirmed and suspected cases of OJD must be reported to Department of Primary Industries (DPI) animal health staff within 7 days of identification.
Persons responsible for notification can be: an owner, any custodian of livestock, a veterinarian, a meat inspector or meat processing facility operator, the owner of any land upon which stock are present, any knackery operator, stock agent, or any other person dealing with livestock or livestock products.
Trade and movement of sheep within Victoria
Changes to OJD Prevalence Areas, implemented nationally from 1st January 2011, saw a large part of Victoria downgraded to a High Prevalence Area. In accordance with the national Assurance Based Credits (ABC) Scheme, sheep from flocks in High Prevalence Areas cannot any claim points in Category A of the ABC score and are considered equivalent risk of being infected with OJD as known infected or suspected of being infected flocks. Owners of these flocks are required to either test or vaccinate their sheep if they wish to increase their ABC score; that is, provide assurances that their sheep are at a lower risk of being infected.
Changes to Victorian legislation, effective from 1st January 2011, allows unrestricted trade and movement of sheep, including ABC score 0 sheep, within Victoria. This means that ABC score 0 sheep can now be sold within Victoria without restriction, and can be walked down public roads and sold in any public saleyard within Victoria. Sheep Health Statements (SHS) are not mandatory for any sheep transactions within Victoria, however, their use is still strongly encouraged.
Interstate movements of sheep
Effective from 1st January 2011, any ABC score, including ABC score 0, sheep can enter Victoria. A Sheep Health Statement (SHS) is no longer required to accompany sheep entering Victoria.
Entry requirements for sheep moving interstate from Victoria are likely to be present. The relevant authority in the destination state should be contacted prior to interstate movement from Victoria to obtain current state entry requirements.
Sale of affected land
Section 32 of the Sale of Land Act 1962 requires vendors to provide details of any notice, order, declaration, report or recommendation of a public authority or government department that affects the land. Owners of infected or suspected of being infected flocks should seek legal advice regarding disclosure of their flock’s OJD history if selling land.
Sheep Health Statement
Although the SHS is not mandatory for sheep transactions within the state of Victoria, it is strongly recommended that this document is obtained prior to purchasing the sheep. The SHS indicates the ABC score of the mob and will assist the purchaser to make an informed decision regarding the likelihood of buying OJD infected sheep.
It is an offence under the Stock (Seller Liability and Declarations) Act 1993 and other fair trading legislation for any person to make a false or misleading declaration on the Sheep Health Statement.
Further information
For further information regarding the legal aspects of OJD, consult your legal adviser.
Further information about OJD can be obtained from animal health staff at your nearest DPI office or on the DPI web site: http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/farming/OJD
Acknowledgements
This note was developed by Fiona Dean. Sept 2003.
It was reviewed by Alison Lee, Biosecurity Victoria. January 2011.
ISSN 1329-8062
Published and Authorised by:
Department of Primary Industries
1 Spring Street
Melbourne, Victoria
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