Details released on Australian agricultural 'breakthrough'

Details have been released on a 20-year research and development program designed to curtail Australia's recently estimated $1 billion in annual losses due to parasitic diseases in the livestock sector.

The findings, outlined for the first time at yesterday’s (September 20) Western Australia Regional Conference of ABARE (Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Research Economics) comes on the back of extensive US and Australian trials involving groups such as the CSIRO, and are regarded as a global breakthrough.

With independent studies published by Meat & Livestock Australia Limited estimating total losses due to disease including internal parasites at close to $100m in cattle and over $400m in sheep alone, the report presented by Mr Chris Lawlor of International Animal Health is expected to pique the interest of not only producers but veterinarians, exporters and commercial interests both overseas and domestically.

In presenting to this week’s conference, Mr Lawlor said that while "Green" solutions are already well established in the field crops sector within the agricultural inoculants market, the release of the new findings puts Australia at the pinnacle of global development when it comes to livestock.

“The estimated losses in sheep and cattle due to internal parasite disease in Australia alone is $A1b and tens of billions worldwide.

“ With widespread chemical resistance and multi-resistance in production animals (sheep, cattle and goats) to a variety of common parasites, it is crucial that the life cycle of these parasites is interrupted at a grassroots level.”

Mr Lawlor said that demand by consumers for livestock products free of chemical inputs was also a key element behind the program’s R & D purpose.

This week’s conference, held in Kununurra is the first of three state-based forums detailing the findings.

The conference program is seen as an essential part of the Federal Government's push in sharing essential domestic and international research.

Both Queensland and NSW producers will be able to hear directly what the bR & D reakthrough program means to the industry with Toowoomba (October 11) and Tamworth (November 15) slated for inclusion as part of the presentations.