Biosecurity

Risks in a Peri-Urban Setting

• Biosecurity risks for sheep production can be reduced by keeping the property free of diseases, pests and weeds.

• Growers should always ensure they complete or obtain a correct National Sheep Health Declaration and National Vendor Declaration when purchasing stock, offering sheep for sale, or when required in interstate livestock transport.

• Although there are guidelines for sheep production biosecurity, parts of the G21 Region are considered to be peri-urban and therefore face additional biosecurity risks and, potentially, complaints which arise from the proximity of farming operations to urban areas, rural residential estates and/or areas zoned for future residential development. Additional biosecurity issues which arise from this situation tend to mostly apply to intensive or semi-intensive livestock production (such as shedded stock, lot feeding facilities, or high-density free ranging) but can also stem from exposure to domestic pets, chemicals and transport vehicles.

• Biosecurity concerns and incompatibility issues could arise for small-scale producers if the farm operating model uses strategies which involve housing sheep and lambs in higher density containment yards for extended periods of time in order to, for example, give sheep a supplementary feeding regime, to ‘finish’ lambs prior to sale, or to give protection against predators (during lambing) or climatic conditions.

• Useful toolkits can be downloaded from https://www.farmbiosecurity.com.au/industry/sheep/

Further Information

The AgriCollective acknowledges that much of the material presented in this profile is general in nature. If you have a specific question related to G21 region small-scale sheep and lamb marketing please email info@theagricollective.com.au and we will provide a response either by return email or phone call.