Two staff from the NT Government Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries’ Berrimah Veterinary Laboratory recently returned from a trip to Timor-Leste, where they investigated the possibility of establishing a herd of cattle to act as sentinels for the presence of bluetongue virus.
Berrimah Veterinary Laboratory staff have over 30 years of experience in setting up and running sentinel herds and the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources contracted the department to investigate a possible sentinel cattle herd in Timor-Leste.
Dr Lorna Melville, AM, PSM, Principal Veterinary Officer Virology and Neville Hunt, Virology Technician with the department met with Timor-Leste Government representatives to discuss the possibilities.
“We have an intensive monitoring program in the Territory for bluetongue virus and helping our neighbours detect and manage the virus is important to us,” said Dr Melville.
“Our department has been involved in cooperative projects in Timor-Leste since 2011, so we’ve built up trust with veterinary officials there and have an excellent rapport.
“Timor-Leste is not bluetongue-free. We can’t stop viruses being blown into Australia but we need to know what viruses are present there for early warning of possible incursions into Australia.
“Providing general veterinary pathology and laboratory training for nations on our doorstep makes good preventative sense, as these countries can be on the lookout for diseases such as bluetongue that could find their way to Northern Australia. Farmers in those nations also benefit from increased animal surveillance.”
In addition to meetings and field trips, the duo also visited the nation’s veterinary diagnostic laboratory in Dili to assess the current state of its equipment and to see if additional laboratory materials would be needed to enable testing of cattle samples.
“The knowledge exchange with our fellow veterinarians to the north is some of the most rewarding work of my professional career,” added Dr Melville.
The Northern Territory Government takes biosecurity seriously and has a strategic approach to dealing with biosecurity threats and risks to the Territory lifestyle, cultural values and economy.
For more information, including a copy of the
Northern Territory Biosecurity Strategy 2016-2026, visit
www.dpif.nt.gov.au/strategies-and-projects/nt-biosecurity-strategy-2016-2026.
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Photo attached: NT Government staff discuss biosecurity with Timor-Leste Government representatives in Timor-Leste
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Media contact: Darrel Trueman, (08) 8999 2044, darrel.trueman@nt.gov.au
