The process of keeping Queensland dairy farmers at a low risk of infection from Bovine Johnes Disease has been a tedious and frustrating process but one QDO will keep fighting for the best outcome for its members.
Over the past year QDO has run many very informative and well attended workshops for members to write their biosecurity plans.
Many of the attendees at early workshops had their plans signed by the government vets in attendance.
Previously, Queensland dairy farmers had until end of June 2018 to be tested to maintain a 7 or 8 in the new JDAS scoring system.
This deadline has been extended until the end of June 2019.
This at least gives all parties including farmers a little more time to get a testing system in place and get all QDO members who wish to remain a score 6 or higher, tested.
This previous deadline had caused considerable concern and confusion particularly when combined with some of the inaccurate advice coming from some advisory sectors including their apparent confusion with the beef JBAS system.
Going forward farmers need to lock down their biosecurity plans to get a slurry test done by the end of June 2019 to hold either a 7 or an 8 JDAS score for their dairy cattle.
QDO plans to undertake a testing program for QDO members late in 2018 and early 2019.
QDO will be contacting our members regarding this testing later in the year.
QDO will continue working to sort out remaining issues in protecting the biosecurity of Queensland dairy farms.
