The History of Australia’s TSE Measures
In order to maintain Australia’s BSE and scrapie free status, a number of measures have been adopted. The timeline below shows Australia’s commitment over the past half century.
| Year | Action Taken |
|---|---|
| 1952 | Eradicated Australia’s only scrapie outbreak which was in imported sheep. Banned importation of sheep and goats from all countries except New Zealand. |
| 1966 | Prohibited the importation of meat and bone meal and any stock feed containing material of ruminant origin from all countries except New Zealand. |
| 1988 | Banned importation of livestock from the UK.
Policy introduced that banned the importation of cattle from countries once they became BSE affected, and placed any cattle that had been imported before such bans into lifetime quarantine. |
| 1990 | Began regular surveillance and testing for BSE in Australian cattle. |
| 1991 | Restrictions on UK and Ireland imports extended to France and Switzerland |
| 1992 | Imported Cheetah quarantined in an Australian zoo diagnosed with FSE. An effective response was implemented. |
| 1995 | Australian feedlot industry introduces a voluntary quality assurance program based on third party audit and accreditation. |
| 1996 | Comprehensive review of existing quarantine measures.
Implemented voluntary ban on feeding of ruminant material to ruminants following World Health Organization recommendation. United Kingdom/Switzerland Cattle Tracing Scheme implemented |
| 1997 | Compulsory feeding ban legislated in all Australian states and territories |
| 1998 | Adopted World Animal Health Organization (OIE) guidelines for surveillance of BSE and scrapie |
| 1999 | Ruminant feeding ban extended to include feeding of specified mammalian material to ruminants
Annual national audit of the ruminant feed ban commenced. |
| 2001/02 | Feeding ban extended to include all vertebrate materials to ruminants (not including milk, tallow or gelatin)
Imported Asiatic golden cat quarantined in an Australian zoo diagnosed with FSE. An effective response was implemented. European Union/Japan Cattle Tracing Scheme implemented |
| 2003 | Australian stock feed manufacturers introduce a voluntary quality assurance program based on third party audit and accreditation. |
| 2004 | Establishment of the TSE Freedom Assurance Program
Canadian Cattle Tracing Scheme implemented |
| 2004/05 | United States Cattle Tracing Scheme being undertaken |
| 2005 | European Union/Japan Cattle Tracing Scheme being undertaken |
| 2006 | Australia recognised by OIE as free of BSE |
| 2007 | Australia recognised by OIE as a negligible risk for BSE under updated categorisation criteria |
Page Updated: 20 May 2009