Vaccination is not a silver bullet for dealing with the threat of foot and mouth disease, nor will it be the sole answer should the devastating livestock disease make its way to Australian shores.
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Calls for a mass, blanket vaccination roll-out to start now ignore the fact that such a move cancels Australia's trading status as being free from the disease.
That would immediately shut the doors to many valuable overseas markets for Australian beef and sheep meat.
As soon as Australia registers an infected animal, or vaccinates an animal, its FMD-free status is gone.
An 'FMD-free with vaccination' status, which is what the world's largest big beef exporter Brazil has, offers significantly different exporting prospects.
For this reason, foot and mouth vaccination had long been seen as a measure of last resort but the Department of Agriculture says given developments in vaccine technology, changing international attitudes and the recent experiences of countries experiencing FMD outbreaks around the world, that view had changed.
Likely, it will be an important tool to assist in containing and eradicating an incursion in Australia but because its use will have trade implications, decisions on how vaccination will happen can't be made until that dreaded first case is lodged.
Australia's aim will be to eradicate any outbreak and quickly regain FMD-free trade status.
So a small outbreak that could be contained quickly will not warrant vaccination.
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The Austvetplan, which outlines the nationally-agreed approach for the response to emergency animal disease, says vaccination may be part of an FMD emergency response aimed at eradication but it would not be a substitute for movement controls and biosecurity measures.
Vaccines can protect against the disease but do not necessarily prevent animals from being infected.
Whether to vaccinate will depend on many factors alongside trade implications, including the nature and size of the outbreak, the strain involved, logistical and resourcing issues, animal welfare considerations and industry and public attitudes.
To be highly effective, vaccines must be closely matched to the outbreak strain. The field strain of FMD can also mutate during a prolonged outbreak.
Should Australia have a case of FMD, decision-makers will have to determine quickly the role of vaccination appropriate for the specific outbreak scenario, and likely they will have to do that without all the desired information.
Australia maintains an arrangement for a bank of antigens to a number of FMD strains and the ability to rapidly produce vaccines to those strains if required.
Shan Goodwin
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
