WA Livestock Disease Outlook - for vets

DPIRD disease investigation summary 2020

In 2020, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development investigated 1402 cases of disease in animals, primarily livestock.

Submissions were received from 77 private vet services and also government vets.

Disease investigations provide evidence that WA is free of livestock diseases that are reportable or affect trade. Submissions from vets also provide diagnostic information to aid producers in managing disease on their farms.

The exotic disease ehrlichiosis (E.canis) was detected in dogs in the State’s north for the first time in 2020. Vets submitted 513 potential cases of ehrlichiosis to the department for investigation of which 202 were positive for the disease.

Reportable disease exclusions

During 2020, there were 1056 reportable disease exclusions from 570 submissions. The most common reportable disease exclusions are shown in Figure 3.  E.canis is reported separately.

Figure 3. The top 10 reportable disease exclusions from laboratory submissions to DPIRD laboratory from January – December 2020. The orange bars represent the number of reportable disease exclusions from October – December 2020.

In 2020 there were 257 reportable disease exclusions in sheep. The number of reportable exclusions by region is shown in Figure 4. The most common reportable disease exclusion was scrapie with 48 submissions to the laboratory, some of the submissions involved multiple animals.

Figure 4. Reportable disease exclusions in sheep in 2020 by region. Exclusions are reported here at the submission level, not the animal level. Any given submission can have more than one disease excluded.

In 2020 there were 375 reportable disease exclusions in cattle. The number of reportable disease exclusions in cattle by region is shown in Figure 5. The most common reportable disease exclusion was Johne’s disease in cattle with 90 submissions to the laboratory.

Figure 5. Reportable disease exclusions in cattle in 2020 by region. Exclusions are reported here at the submission level, not the animal level. Any given submission can have more than one disease excluded.

In 2020 there were 87 reportable disease exclusions in pigs. The number of reportable disease exclusions in pigs by region is shown in Figure 6. The most common reportable disease exclusion was African swine fever and classical swine fever, with 27 submissions to the laboratory for each.

Figure 6. Reportable disease exclusions in pigs in 2020 by region. Exclusions are reported here at the submission level, not the animal level. Any given submission can have more than one disease excluded.

 The reportable disease exclusions in other species are shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7. Reportable disease exclusions in other species in 2020 by region. Exclusions are reported at the submission level, not the animal level. Any given submission can have more than one disease excluded.

Common endemic diseases in cattle

Common diagnoses in cattle in 2020 by region are shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8. Common diagnoses in cattle in 2020 by region. Diagnoses are reported at the submission level, not the animal level. Any given submission can have more than one disease excluded.

In the October – December quarter 2020

The most commonly diagnosed disease in the October – December quarter of 2020 in cattle was annual ryegrass toxicity (ARGT) with 6 submissions to the laboratory during this time (Figure 9). For more information on ARGT visit the webpage.

Figure 9. Common cattle diseases in October – December 2020 (blue) compared to the average number of submissions for the same diseases in October – December in the previous 5 years (grey).

Common endemic diseases in sheep

Common diagnoses in sheep in 2020 by region are shown in Figure 10.

Figure 10. Common diagnoses in sheep in 2020 by region. Diagnoses are reported at the submission level, not the animal level. Any given submission can have more than one disease excluded.

In the October – December quarter 2020

The most commonly diagnosed disease in sheep during October – December 2020 was helminthiasis with 10 submissions to the DPIRD laboratory (Figure 10). Annual ryegrass toxicity was diagnosed 7 times during this period.

Figure 11. Common sheep diseases in October – December 2020 (blue) compared to the average number of submissions for the same diseases in October – December over the last 5 years (grey).