Training

Awareness and training are the joint responsibility of Australian governments with peak industry bodies advising their members where appropriate. State departments of agriculture are responsible for delivery of specific training to private veterinarians and their own staff, as well as local awareness programs. AQIS is responsible for awareness and training within export abattoirs. Such training involves formal short courses and self-learning through the use of manuals and videos.

Raising local awareness among veterinary practitioners and producers of the need to report nervous diseases in cattle and sheep is carried out by government officers, relevant industry organisations and veterinary practitioners. The production of general publicity material on TSEs is coordinated by Animal Health Australia where required to ensure a consistent national approach.

Training of practitioners and government officers should includes awareness of TSEs, nature of the diseases, selection of eligible animals as well as specimen collection and laboratory submission to ensure the occurrence of TSEs in Australian livestock can be ruled out and alternative diagnoses confirmed whenever possible.

Since BSE and scrapie are exotic diseases, awareness of the methods of detection and actions to be taken in the event of an occurrence are included in the Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement and an AUSVETPLAN disease strategy has been prepared.

As a result of this program, a number of training aids are being developed and will be posted to this site when finalised.

NTSESP Training Guide

This guide contains images and footage of procedures which some viewers may find distressing. Discretion is advised.

This NTSESP Training Guide contains information for veterinarians, animal health officers, and producers collecting submissions for the National Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Surveillance Program.

TSE Sample Collection Training Video

This training video has been developed to assist veterinarians with the collection of brain tissue. It contains graphic images of dead cattle and viewer discretion is advised.

 
TSE Sample Collection Training Video 512kbps
 

Page Updated: 17 October 2008