OJD Regional Biosecurity Area
Riverina Regional Biosecurity Area
About the Riverina Regional Biosecurity Area and Ovine Johnes Disease
Ovine Johnes Disease (OJD) Regional Biosecurity Areas were developed as part of the new National OJD Management Plan 2013-2018
To be eligible to become a Regional Biosecurity Area, the district had to:
- Have <1% of flocks in the proposed area infected with OJD (eg. be in the old Exclusion area or Low prevalence area of NSW)
- Hold a vote of eligible sheep producers in the proposed area AND have a 50% return of all voting papers with 50% of these agreeing to become a regional biosecurity area
- Form a regional biosecurity committee made up of local producers from the proposed area
- Develop a regional biosecurity plan based on the guidelines in the National OJD Management Plan 2013-2018 and submit it to a national committee for approval
In NSW, there are six Regional Biosecurity Areas – see the map below
Nationally, mainland South Australia, Queensland and North West Victoria are also Regional Biosecurity areas.
The Riverina Regional Biosecurity Area includes all of the Hay Shire and Part of Carathool Shire west of the Kidman Way in the Riverina Local Land Services district and then extends south into the Murray Local Land Services Region.
The Riverina Sheep Biosecurity Group comprises the sheep producers within the area bounded by:
A line starting at the eastern boundary of the Murray Shire and running from the Murray River to the Tuppal Creek, the Tuppal Creek and Edward River to Deniliquin, the Deniliquin to Conargo Road to the Lindifferon Lane, along the Lindifferon Lane to the eastern boundary of Lauriston, along the eastern boundaries of Lauriston, Tibora and Warriston to the Deniliquin to Conargo Road then along the Deniliquin to Conargo Road to Conargo, the Billabong Creek to the western boundary of Bowen Station, along the western and southern boundaries of Bowne Station then the southern and eastern boundaries of One Oak to the Billabong Creek; along the Billabong Creek to Jerilderie, south along the Newell Highway to Wunnamurra, along the western, southern and eastern boundaries of Wunnamurra then along the Wunnamurra Lane to the Old Corowa Road, along the Old Corowa Road to Telephone Gate Road, along Telephone Gate Road to the Jerilderie to Oaklands Road, along the Jerilderie to Oaklands Road to the Back Berrigan Road, along the Back Berrigan Road and the Jerilderie to Urana Road to Urana, along the Urana to Morundah Road to Morundah, along Yamma Road to the Coleambally Irrigation area, along the eastern, southern and western boundaries of the Coleambally Irrigation area to South Boundary Road, along South Boundary Road and the eastern boundary of Gundaline station to the Murrumbidgee River then Bringagee Road, Shaw's Rd, Tabbita Lane and the Kidman Way to Hillston, the Lachlan River and Murrumbidgee River to the western boundary of the Riverina Livestock Health and Pest District, along that boundary to the Wakool River then along the Wakool River to the eastern boundary of Liewah, along the eastern boundary of Liewah to the Edward River the western boundary of Chah Singh, along the western, southern and eastern boundaries of Chah Singh to the Edward River, along the Edward River to Moulamein, along the Moulamein to Barham Road to Barham then the Murray River back to the eastern boundary of the Murray Shire.
- Flocks located in the Protected Area
- SheepMAP flocks
- (prior to 1 January 2013) flocks that met the requirements for moving into NSW Exclusion Areas (i.e. ABC Score 4 or higher under the superceded ABC scheme)
(after January 2013) flocks that had a negative test2
1 Faecal samples from 350 adult sheep selected at random and subjected in pools of no more than 50 for faecal culture for OJD
2 500 adult sheep slaughtered at an abattoir where their digestive tracts are examined for evidence of OJD
3 All introduced sheep must have been accompanied by a Sheep Health Statement that has been retained as evidence of the sheep status.
4 PFC350 or Abattoir500 test within the preceding two years.
2. Terminal 'T' tag lambs
Lambs which are no more than 50% merino and which have not cut any permanent incisors and which are identified by NLIS "T" tags and which are slaughtered before they cut any permanent incisors.
How do we maintain the Riverina Regional Biosecurity Area into the future?
The Riverina Regional Biosecurity Area must prove that it is living up to the Regional Biosecurity Plan developed by the committee. This proof is obtained by:
- Producers moving sheep into the area must send in the completed Sheep Health Statement for the introduced sheep to their Local Land Services office
- The NLIS database is monitored for movements of sheep into the area and these movements are then assessed
- High risk movements (those that do not meet the eligibility criteria) are investigated and managed with individual property management plans