Should accredited non-veterinarians be allowed to pregnancy test cattle for export purposes, not just veterinarians?

The Australian Standard for the Export of Livestock (ASEL) requires that unspayed female cattle must be pregnancy tested within 30 days of cattle being exported.

Pregnancy tests for feeder and slaughter cattle to be exported by sea can only be completed by a registered veterinarian using the Australian Cattle Veterinarian’s Association’s PREgCHECK scheme.

Theexception is in the Northern Territory and Western Australia, where “competent pregnancy testers” accredited by a relevant agency can also perform the same role for feeder and slaughter cattle exports.

The Department of Agriculture recently posted a notice to its website clarifying existing requirements for pregnancy testing of cattle for export (available here).

Queensland’s peak cattle producer representative body AgForce says pregnancy testing services can be effectively performed by accredited non-veterinarians.

It sees current laws only permitting veterinarians to perform the task in Queensland as unnecessary, restrictive and unpractical.

AgForce believes a new national scheme is required, allowing accredited producers or non-vet contractors to qualify and pregnancy test empty (PTE) unsprayed females for live export.

“It is needed as it is not cost effective or flexible to have a program that is only available to veterinarians,” AgForce cattle president Bim Struss said.

“We are meeting with industry and government stakeholders soon to discuss this and how it would work.

“It is important for the future growth of the industry that accreditation programs like the (Australian Cattle Veterinarians Association’s) PREgCHECK do not lock Lay Pregnancy Tester Veterinarians out of the market.

“A national approach to pregnancy testing is important but not one that locks up the market for an activity that can be skillfully provided by non-veterinarians.”

However the Australian Cattle Veterinarian’s Association is lobbying against any move to allow more non-veterinarian pregnancy testers to perform the task.

It has long expressed concerns that existing accreditation schemes in Northern Territory and WA do not ensure that preg-testing by non-veterinarians is being performed accurately, which in turn can lead to welfare issues and put export market relationships at risk.

ACV President Dr Craig Dwyer said the association has been lobbying to improve the accountability of pregnancy testing in live export.

The ACV’s PREgCHECK scheme, formerly the National Cattle Pregnancy Diagnosis Scheme or NCPD, was the most robust pregnancy diagnosis assurance scheme in Australia, he said.

“Accredited members have to demonstrate their ability to manually detect pregnancies down to 42 days, and accurately estimate gestational age,” he said.

“Accredited testers under the scheme have a unique registration number and are the only people authorised to use the scheme’s certification mark on cattle tail tags.

“These tags are well recognised in the industry and are used by producers to add value to sold livestock.”

PREgCHECK used both rectal palpation and ultrasound to make an accurate diagnosis and predict calving date. This is not available with blood or milk pregnancy testing, Dr Dwyer said.

AgForce cattle president Bim Struss said the organisation supported efforts to improve the standard of national pregnancy testing for live export.

“We believe this needs to be a nationally accredited program available to both veterinarians and non-veterinarians,” he said.

“We are currently working with stakeholders to develop a better system that is more cost effective and flexible for producers than the PREgCHECK scheme which is only available for veterinarians.

“The outcome we are all trying to achieve is that the standard of pregnancy testing for live export is improved across the board.”