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Australia’s live cattle exports have been temporarily suspended to Japan. |
JAPAN has temporarily suspended live cattle imports from Australia over disease concerns.
It is understood the ban came after some Holstein heifers sent from Victoria last week allegedly tested positive to bovine johne’s disease in quarantine in Japan.However, the cattle tested negative to the disease before they left Australia.
The federal agriculture department said in a statement it was investigating to confirm that cattle were prepared according to the importing country requirements.
“The department is working closely with the Japanese authorities on this issue,” it said in a statement.
The department said it was aware Japanese authorities had announced they would “temporarily stop accepting feeder and breeder cattle from Australia in response to a number of cattle testing positive for Johnes disease in post-arrival quarantine”.
Under Australian protocols, heifers must be tested twice for the disease before they can be approved for export to Japan.