Production

Last chance to speak up on cattle lay pregnancy testing

Beef Central, 03/12/2018

AgForce is urging Queensland cattle producers to have their say on the need for increased access to reliable and affordable pregnancy testing services before a State Government consultation process closes next week.

AgForce Cattle President Will Wilson said outdated regulations and a lack of vets in remote areas were increasing costs and reducing margins for live exporters and cattle breeding operations reliant on pregnancy testing services.

“High fertility rates are crucial to the success of all breeding businesses, and pregnancy testing is a key herd management tool that helps producers boost their productivity and profitability,” he said.

“For too long Queensland cattle producers have been at a competitive disadvantage to producers in other parts of Australia where lay pregnancy testers are legally operating and have done for years.

“That’s why it’s so vital we have our say and make the most of the opportunity the Queensland Government has provided.”

Producers can provide comment by completing a ten-minute survey anonymously at http://bit.ly/cattlepregnancytesting, by emailing bioseclegislation@daf.qld.gov.au or by mailing to GPO Box 46, Brisbane, 4001 before 14 December 2018.

Mr Wilson said vets already operated in a market alongside an underground of laypersons providing pregnancy testing, and there was no evidence this had reduced their business.

“We have been and will continue to work with the Australian Vet Association, the Cattle Vet Association and the RSPCA to ensure the highest standards of animal welfare are achieved,” he said.

“Our aim is to provide a training and accreditation program which will elevate the existing often skilled underground to the professional standing they deserve.

“That’s why we support option three in the survey – to amend the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1936 and require an industry owned training and accreditation program.”

Source: AgForce Queensland

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Comments

  1. Dominic Burden, 06/12/2018

    Thanks for the heads up Chris, however what is being proposed is that the Qld Veterinary Surgeons Act 1936 is amended to allow for ACCREDITED Pregnancy Testers other than vets. (Not yelling, just emphasising the point of difference)

  2. Christopher Shirley, 06/12/2018

    To my Queensland friends,
    Be very careful in what you wish for!. I am a veterinarian in northern NSW, and frequently see the catastrophies caused by lay operators in this space. The costs of getting the job wrong are far more significant than the cost savings,. The main problem is that the level of accreditation for the lay operators is just woefully inadequate. Accuracy rates of >99% have to be reliably achieved or else preg testing will cost you money, and more importantly markets. Since preg testing was deregulated in NSW, my numbers have consistently grown due to the poor level of consistency by the lay operators in my district, that just says it all for me.
    Cheers
    Chris

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