The federal government has initiated urgent talks with Malaysia after suspending Australian live cattle exports from several facilities due to concerns about an outbreak of lumpy skin disease (LSD).
Malaysia, like Indonesia, has halted cattle exports from four Australian facilities while authorities conduct additional testing.
The Indonesian Agriculture and Quarantine Agency notified Australian authorities last week that lumpy skin disease had been detected in 13 Australian cattle exported to Indonesia.
Since the discovery, Indonesia has suspended cattle imports from four facilities.
Mark Schipp, Australia's Chief Veterinary Officer, stated today that officials were working to complete the investigation into the health of the herds at the four facilities.
"Australia is urgently engaging with its Malaysian counterparts to confirm our robust animal health system, and to advise that LSD is not present in Australia," he said.
"I have made representations to my Malaysian counterpart, requesting the import restriction on live cattle and buffalo from Australia be lifted without delay."
Lumpy skin disease is a highly contagious viral infection spread by biting insects or parasites such as flies, mosquitos, and ticks.
It is carried by live animals and can cause animal welfare issues as well as "significant" production losses; it does not pose a risk to humans.
According to Schipp, Australia has never had lumpy skin disease and continues to be free of it.
Officials had briefed the cattle industry, he said, and there was no cause for concern.
This morning, Nationals leader David Littleproud told Today that he was confident Australia had no cases of the disease and that cattle had most likely caught it in Indonesia.
However, he was concerned about the potential reputational harm to Australia's cattle farmers.
"Our international reputation has been hard fought and we are disease-free (and) that disease-free status gives us a premium that needs to be protected," he said.
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