a day ago
North Queensland grazier warns of blackleg disease after cattle die
North Queensland grazier Peter Finlay did routine checks on his weaner cattle, but two days later, nearly 40 were dead.
"I was pretty gutted because I hate to lose one, but when you lose a whole mob like that," Mr Finlay said.
Carcass testing found blackleg, a bacterial disease contracted from soil, to be the cause of death.
Mr Finlay, from Torrens Creek, about 300 kilometres south-west of Townsville, was shocked by the findings.
Blackleg is a spore-forming bacteria that primarily affects younger cattle.
It is almost always fatal within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.
Cases have previously been reported in central and southern Queensland and New South Wales, but rarely in north Queensland.
"I've been in this industry for 40-odd years, and we've never thought to have had the problem," Mr Finlay said.
Hughenden veterinarian Libby Harriman said it was the first confirmed case for her client base in the Torrens Creek area.
"Traditionally, we don't see a lot of blackleg in this area," Dr Harriman said.
"But, we have heard of other cases towards Julia Creek, so anywhere along those lines is obviously in that 'at-risk area' now."
She said outbreaks of the soil-borne bacteria often occurred after soil disturbances and rain.
The north-west has had a favourable wet season, with monsoonal February rain saving what had been a dry 2024.
When livestock eat contaminated feed or soil, spores enter the bloodstream, which leads to blood poisoning and rapid death.
"But [cattle] can actually carry it in their system for a long time, until it's triggered by bruising or other muscle damage," Dr Harriman said.
A Department of Primary Industries spokesperson said blackleg was an endemic disease in Queensland and was not a notifiable disease under the Biosecurity Act 2014, meaning producers were under no obligation to report it.
They said veterinarians often diagnosed blackleg without departmental involvement, so department-recorded cases may not accurately reflect the incidence of disease in the field.
"Current departmental diagnostic data does not show an increase in blackleg diagnoses compared to previous years," the spokesperson said.
Dr Harriman said blackleg cases were not always reported.
"Producers tend to be a little bit cautious about finding an infectious disease on their property for fear of being shut down by Biosecurity Queensland or something like that," she said.
"It's just so important that producers do speak up about these sorts of things and contact your local vet."
Symptoms of the disease include lameness in the hind legs, swelling in large muscles, fever, depression and refusal to eat.
A distinctive symptom is also gas under the skin, which produces a crackling sound when the affected area is touched.
The potentially fatal condition can be prevented with a vaccination, which Dr Harriman encouraged for all cattle, not just those in areas with known cases, as the disease often impacted large numbers at a time.
While blackleg is not contagious from animal to animal, bacteria from a carcass can spread into the soil, which can then be contracted again.
Dr Harriman recommended burning the affected carcass and not dragging it along the ground.
Mr Finlay said his remaining 306 cattle looked healthy and had since been vaccinated.
As he counted the cost of his loss, he encouraged other graziers to follow suit.
"The alternative is just terrible," he said.
