Footrot outbreak hits wet Monaro

Sixteen holdings in the South East Local Land Services region are in quarantine for the bacterial disease, with a further 32 properties quarantined across the state - including seven in the Riverina.

This time last year there were just 31 cases in the state.

In 1988 the NSW sheep industry implemented the NSW Footrot Strategic Plan with the aim of eradicating virulent footrot.

At the time more than 6000 cases existed in NSW.

By August 2009 the entire state was declared a Protected Area, with less than one per cent of the state's flocks infected (just 18 cases).

Department of Primary Industries senior veterinary officer animal biosecurity Samantha Allen said even with 48 properties in quarantine this only accounted for 0.25pc of flocks in NSW.

"It is not unusual to see an increase in footrot cases in an area that has experienced very good seasonal conditions after prolonged dry conditions," Ms Allen said.

"While it's disappointing, it's not unusual."

In NSW, sheep producers have a legal obligation to notify a Local Land Services (LLS) district veterinarian if they suspect footrot and then work towards eradication.

Control depends on each individual situation, but generally the sheep on each affected property are subject to inspection and cull.

Destocking infected mobs could also be used in smaller numbers or if infected mobs have been isolated from the rest of the flock.

Treatment with antibiotics will generally only mask clinical disease so it is not used once an eradication program is in place.

South East LLS vet Petrea Wait has been busy in recent months performing inspections of reported and confirmed flocks with footrot.

She said while 16 properties are quarantined in the area, 98pc of properties are free of the disease.

Bombala producer Charlie Maslin, "Gunningrah", is in the minority.

He first noticed footrot in his flock of Merinos in November.

He decided to "take to it with a heavy hammer" by selling almost half of his flock early in January to reduce the number of sheep he had to treat later.

"We sold 6000 straight to abattoirs but of those very few really had symptoms of footrot at the time," Mr Maslin said.

"We had a fairly big mob of wethers which we used as pressure relievers so they went straight away and we kept a fairly good core group of breeding ewes."

Mr Maslin invested in a herd of Angus cattle to bolster production.

"It has cost us $20 per dry sheep equivalent, and when we factor in the swap over to cattle, it has cost us $100,000 so far," he said.

"When you add in the labour and the time we haven't spent doing other things you could add on another $40,000."

Fellow Bombala producer John Murdoch also turned to cattle to get out of trouble.

His Merino flock contracted footrot on two of three of his properties (that he runs in partnership with his parents Andy and Jane) last April.

Initially, he sold 1200 ewes in lamb but the disease returned during summer, forcing him to sell another 1400.

"I estimate it has cost me $250,000," Mr Murdoch said.

"Because we were selling young genetic stock (two and three year-old ewes in lamb) that was a big cost in terms of genetic progression and lambs on the ground."

Mr Murdoch said the situation had stretched the labour limits of the business.

"Ideally we want to get back to running a full Merino ewe operation with a terminal sire to simplify the enterprise."

Costly problem at Bombala

A WET summer has caused huge upheaval for Charlie and Anne Maslin, "Gunningrah", Bombala, who first noticed footrot in their Merino flock in November.

Their property was quarantined and they made the decision in January to sell 6000 Merino wethers to the abattoirs to reduce the size of the flock that required treatment.

Between culling infected sheep, shifting their enterprise toward cattle and labour costs, it has cost them about $140,000.

"Thankfully the fortunes of the cattle market are going in our favour," Mr Maslin said.

He said the Local Land Services (LLS) had been great help in the initial stages of managing the bacterial disease but he later sought an independent consultant for further advice.

"Our district vet has been run off her feet doing inspections and giving advice. She was helpful in getting an eradication program going for us but we felt we needed an expert to give us more direction as to what we should do."

They banded with two other producers to help pay for the consultant's services.

"We have used his advice to the letter to go on with it," said Mr Maslin (pictured).

The Maslins have further inspections of their flock planned this week and if found to be clear by the LLS they are expecting to be released from quarantine status within months.