The Ongoing Battle Against Cattle Tick Outbreaks in Queensland

In 2018, Ivan Hay faced a significant loss when he lost 26 head of cattle to tick fever, marking the beginning of a
challenging journey to restore the health of his properties in Queensland’s tick-free zone.

Recently, Mr. Hay spoke to Beef Central about the alarming tick outbreaks in the Taroom area and shared insights on how he
first identified the problem and the costs it incurred.

The cleanup effort from the 2018 outbreak commenced at his property ‘Canadianvale’ and quickly expanded to his other 11 properties
in the area, most of which were impacted by ticks.

“By the time we realized we had ticks, we spread them to most of our properties. Nine out of 11 experienced tick outbreaks,” Mr.
Hay revealed, emphasizing how livestock deaths were the initial alert to the infestation.

Without prior inspection or treatment, these ticks likely hitchhiked on a mob of cattle purchased from Dalby saleyards, which were
considered safe due to their positioning in the tick-free zone.

“For decades, cattle importers from Dalby have never had to worry about ticks, but with changes to government policy in 2016,
infestations began appearing,” he explained.

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The Financial Toll of Eradication

The Hay family meticulously documented the costs associated with their first eradication effort, totaling around $280,000.
However, due to incomplete clearance in the initial year, additional campaigns were necessary.

“The cost includes helicopter services for mustering cattle, chemicals, and payments to third-party scratchers. However,
this doesn’t reflect the broader impact of movement restrictions or labor expenses, meaning the final toll would be even higher,”
Mr. Hay added.

A truck rollover near one of Mr. Hay’s properties has reignited tick concerns for his herd, as cattle from an infested area
wandered onto his land.

“Despite some of the cattle being killed in the incident, we quickly initiated another eradication campaign for the six affected
paddocks,” he stated.

The first treatment alone was estimated at $14,000, not accounting for additional aerial and staff costs, which would require
multiple treatments moving forward.

Recent Developments and Calls for Change

The ongoing outbreak has led to intensified discussions concerning Queensland’s cattle tick management structure.

Recent tracing efforts by the Department of Primary Industries revealed that additional properties in the Taroom region have been
affected.

Mr. Hay noted that his 2018 outbreak marked the first detection of cattle ticks in Taroom since the area was cleared in the 1990s.

“We underwent a significant cleanup in the late 1980s, and outbreaks were virtually non-existent post-efforts until the laws
were relaxed,” he stated.

“The regulatory changes implemented in 2016 have largely benefited producers unconcerned about tick management.”

Qld Cattle Tick Line

“Currently, the burden of re-cleansing falls on those in tick-free areas while the freely moving cattle producers bear no costs.
There’s an urgent need for the government to proactively eradicate ticks and adjust the tick line to prevent future outbreaks.”