In a bid to protect its cattle exports, the Australian government announced on Wednesday that it has acquired a stockpile of vaccines for lumpy skin disease (LSD), a highly contagious ailment affecting cattle. According to Reuters, the move aims to control the disease and ensure the smooth continuation of live animal exports.
Although Australia officially declares itself free of LSD, recent infection concerns temporarily disrupted shipments of live cattle to Malaysia and Indonesia. In 2022, Australia exported 593,000 live cattle and buffalo, with a total value of $870 million, according to customs data. More than half of these exports went to Indonesia, while China, Vietnam, and Israel were the next significant destinations.
Lumpy skin disease (LSD) causes blisters in cattle and buffalo, reducing milk production. Transmitted through insect bites, it poses no risk to humans.
The Australian Ministry of Agriculture revealed that it has entered into a contract with MSD Animal Health to ensure an initial supply of 300,000 doses of LSD vaccine, which will be made available for Australia, Timor-Leste, and Papua New Guinea. The agreement is set to span four years, with the vaccine doses stored securely overseas. However, the cost of the agreement was not disclosed.
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt emphasized the importance of vaccine access, stating, “Access to vaccines is a longstanding part of our strategy to reduce risk offshore and build confidence in our response mechanisms.” He further explained, “The agreement means we will have priority access to a high-quality vaccine that can be used quickly to protect Australian animals in the event of an outbreak or can be used overseas to reduce the risk to our neighboring countries.”
The ministry also issued an emergency use permit, allowing the vaccine’s deployment in Australia if necessary.
Notably, Indonesia suspended imports from certain Australian export facilities in July and August after detecting LSD-positive cattle, though it lifted the suspensions in September. Malaysia also paused imports in August following the detections in Indonesia but resumed trade last month.