High fertility rates are crucial to the success of all beef breeding businesses, and pregnancy testing is a key herd management tool that helps producers boost their productivity and profitability.
However, outdated regulations in Queensland and a lack of vets in remote areas are increasing costs and reducing margins for live exporters and breeding operations reliant on pregnancy testing services.
Queensland producers are at a competitive disadvantage to export producers in the NT and WA, as well as domestic producers in NSW, where pregnancy testing by non-veterinarians is allowed and has been for years.
It is against this backdrop that AgForce has been calling for change, and we are pleased the Queensland government has now opened a consultation process on cattle pregnancy testing and ovarian scanning.
I urge Queensland cattle producers to get involved with this process so that the state government knows the industry supports lay pregnancy testing, both manual and ultrasound technique.
Let me be very clear – this is not about taking away business from vets or reducing standards. It is all about ensuring there is increased access to reliable and cost-effective pregnancy testing across Queensland.
We have been and will continue to work with the Australian Vet Association, the Cattle Vet Association and the RSPCA to ensure the highest standards of animal welfare are achieved.
We have already done this with the more invasive dropped ovary spaying surgical procedure which can be legally carried out in Queensland by a lay person.
AgForce is keen to work with the AVA to have a new professional pregnancy testing accreditation scheme in place before the herd returns to normal levels so producers can take full advantage and our industry can continue to grow strongly.
Producers can provide comment by completing a 10-minute survey anonymously at https://bit.ly/2yN4bqq, by emailing bioseclegislation@daf.qld.gov.au or by mailing to GPO Box 46, Brisbane, 4001 before December 14.
