Victorian animal health surveillance — all species

Victorian animal health data are collected from a number of sources, including:

• targeted surveillance activities
• monitoring programs
• disease control programs
• diagnostic laboratories
• livestock producers
• field investigations conducted by Agriculture Victoria staff and private veterinary practitioners.

There were 558 cases investigated in Victoria between 1 August and 31 October 2018 (based on disease investigations reported to Agriculture Victoria).

The geographic spread of the investigations and the most frequently reported diseases in each species are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Location of field investigations, by species between 1 August and 31 October 2018.

Cattle

There were 322 cattle investigations between 1 August and 31 October 2018.

Table 1 shows the 10 most frequently observed cattle diseases in each region during the period. It does not include investigations where no definitive diagnosis was made. Cases of clinical disease where no definitive disease agent was identified were reviewed in the context of the surrounding circumstances, and exotic or emergency diseases were excluded where appropriate.

More than two-thirds of the investigations involved dairy cattle, with salmonella continuing to be the most commonly diagnosed disease.

Table 1. Most commonly diagnosed diseases of cattle – 1 August to 31 October 2018

Goats

There were 23 disease investigations in goats reported to Agriculture Victoria between 1 August and 31 October 2018.

Table 3 shows the most frequently observed diseases in goats during the period. It does not include investigations where no definitive diagnosis was made.

Table 3. Diagnosed diseases of goats – 1 August to 31 October 2018

Horses

There were 18 horse disease investigations reported between 1 August and 31 October 2018.

The diseases diagnosed are listed in Table 4. It does not include ten investigations where no definitive diagnosis was made. Cases of clinical disease where no definitive disease agent was identified were reviewed in the context of the surrounding circumstances, and exotic or emergency diseases were excluded, where appropriate.

Table 4. Diagnosed diseases of horses – 1 August to 31 October 2018

Poultry

There were 30 disease notifications or investigations reported to the department between 1 August and 31 October 2018.

The six most commonly reported causes of disease are recorded in Table 5. The table does not include cases where no definitive diagnosis was made. Cases of clinical disease where no definitive disease agent was identified were reviewed in the context of the surrounding circumstances, and exotic or emergency diseases were excluded, where appropriate.

Table 5. Most commonly diagnosed diseases of poultry – 1 August to 31 October 2018

Pigs

There were 14 investigations reported to AgVic between 1 August and 31 October 2018.

The diseases diagnosed are listed in Table 6. There are two results still pending. The table does not include four cases where no definitive diagnosis was made. Cases of clinical disease where no definitive disease agent was identified were reviewed in the context of the surrounding circumstances, and exotic or emergency diseases were excluded, where appropriate.

Table 6. Most commonly diagnosed diseases of pigs – 1 August to 31 October 2018