Animal health

The Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer (OCVO) and Biosecurity Animal Division facilitate the development of national policies and strategies and the provision of scientific advice to minimise the potential impacts of diseases on Australia’s animal health.

Popular topics

• Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (Calicivirus)
• Emergency animal disease preparedness and management
• High profile diseases - that are threats to Australian livestock and wildlife
• Strategic foresight
• Wildlife Health Australia
• A Statement from the Chief Veterinary Officer (Australia) on myxomatosis vaccine availability in Australia
• Engagement of private veterinarians in an emergency animal disease response
• Protecting Australia from Rabies

Activities of the OCVO and Biosecurity Animal Division

National

• Outcomes of animal health-related projects funded under the Australian Government’s Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper
• Animalplan 2022 to 2027: Australia’s National Action Plan for Terrestrial Agricultural Animal Health
• A Statement from the Chief Veterinary Officer (Australia) on myxomatosis vaccine availability in Australia
• Antimicrobial Resistance
• Aquatic animal health
• Wildlife Health Australia - surveillance for wildlife diseases
• Epidemiology and modelling projects - geographic regions, sub-populations and production systems at risk from key exotic diseases
• Policy and scientific advice on veterinary public health matters
• The department partially funded development of an e-learning course for vets about how to improve smallholder clients’ biosecurity.

International

• setting international food safety standards
• the World Organisation for Animal Health
• The Australia Indonesia Partnership for Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Timor Leste Village Poultry Health and Biosecurity Program
• Bovine germplasm comparison project—Australia, Canada, New Zealand and United States

Publications

• Development of behaviour change strategies for animal disease surveillance and reporting
• Pet Food Safety
• A Veterinary Awakening: The History of Government Veterinarians in Australia
• The OCVO - who we are and what we do
• Animal Health in Australia series - an overview of animal health activities in Australia
• Animal Health Surveillance Quarterly - a summary of animal health matters
• National Animal Health Information System - information on Australia's animal health status,
  supporting trade in animal commodities and meeting Australia's international reporting obligations
• Livestock Movement in Australia and Emergency Disease Preparedness
• Exotic Animal Diseases - Bulletin and Newsletter
• Virtual reality to support FMD training

Protect Australia from animal disease

Biosecurity - how you can protect your animals from pests and disease.