Health checks for South Australia's sheep flock

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has announced a $3 million investment (over three years) with the aim of reducing the incidence and costs of endemic health conditions affecting South Australia’s sheep flock.

Twenty-one sheep health issues will be recorded and communicated to producers, including key conditions such as grass seeds, pneumonia, sheep measles, rib fractures and arthritis.

The project is being delivered by MLA Donor Company (MDC) and SA Sheep Industry Fund (SIF) and builds on the success of the Enhanced Abattoir Surveillance program that has been operating in SA for 10 years. The collaboration has been facilitated by the SA Sheep Industry Blueprint.

The 'Reducing the Financial Impact of Endemic Conditions in Sheep' project will be rolled out in collaboration with Thomas Foods International (TFI), JBS Australia (JBS), Primary Industries and Regions SA - Biosecurity SA, the Davies Research Centre at the University of Adelaide and several SA farming systems groups. Animal Health Australia is also supporting the project.

SA Sheep Advisory Group Chair Leonie Mills said these health issues cost Australian producers about $140 million each year in lost production.

MLA Managing Director Richard Norton said the project will be Australia’s biggest state-level sheep monitoring program and cover more than 80% of sheep slaughtered in SA.

He said it is built on the National Sheep Health Monitoring Project and outcomes and learnings will be available to the rest of the industry.

Aside from reducing the incidence of endemic sheep diseases in SA, the project will improve collaboration in the SA sheepmeat supply chain, provide consistent animal monitoring at processing, give producers access to timely carcass condition data and increase whole industry awareness of the importance of animal health.