Concerns are growing across Queensland’s cattle industry as outbreaks of cattle ticks are increasingly being detected within areas that are considered to be tick-free.
Taroom cattle producer Rob Lethbridge said the issue is less about ticks crossing the long-established Queensland tick line and more about outbreaks developing and spreading inside the clean zone itself.
The Queensland tick line runs from the Northern Territory border down to the New South Wales border and is designed to separate tick-infested cattle country from tick-free areas.
Map of cattle tick free and infested zones. Source: ArcGIS.
“We used to have a tightly managed buffer zone with strict scratching rules, but since 2016 that’s been watered down to a single line with far fewer checks.”
Historically, cattle moving towards the clean area had to be inspected and cleared by government officers or accredited scratchers. However, regulatory changes in 2016 removed the buffer zone and simplified the system to a single tick line.
The changes were intended to streamline regulation, but Mr Lethbridge believes they have left gaps in the management system.
Mr Lethbridge said most current problems are now emerging within the tick-free zone rather than from cattle crossing the tick line.
“Right now, most of the trouble isn’t ticks crossing the line – it’s outbreaks starting and spreading within what’s meant to be tick free country,” he said.
He identified the southern quarter of Queensland as a particular area of concern.
“The bottom quarter of Queensland is especially high risk, and biosecurity rules simply aren’t being enforced on the ground.”
According to Mr Lethbridge, high-risk areas with many small properties and hobby farms are more likely to harbour undetected ticks.
When the buffer zone system was removed, he believes these areas were no longer monitored as closely, allowing outbreaks to establish and spread further into clean country.
Mr Lethbridge said the spread of ticks is linked to a combination of weakened oversight, livestock movements and the delayed action of common treatments.
“Ticks are popping up in clean areas because the system has broken down – high risk districts aren’t being picked up early, and cattle move through sale yards and online platforms with people assuming ‘clean’ means no risk,” he said.
The timing of chemical treatments can also play a role.
“All chemicals, unless it’s a dip, only work after a certain period of time. They don’t kill the minute you put them on the animal,” Mr Lethbridge said.
“If an engorged tick drops off in the first three to four days before the chemical starts to work, it can still lay viable eggs.”
He said this delay can allow ticks to reproduce before treatments take effect.
Mr Lethbridge urged producers to treat all incoming cattle as a potential tick risk, even when they originate from tick-free areas.
“Even if you’re buying cattle from the clean country, you have to be thinking about cattle ticks,” he said.
He also encouraged producers to familiarise themselves with cattle ticks and report any findings.
Cattle ticks during different phases of development. Source: Qld Government.
“Producers need to know what a cattle tick looks like and how it’s different from other ticks,” he said.
“If you find ticks in the tick free area, you’re supposed to ring the Department of Primary Industries (DPI). They’re meant to come out, work out how far it’s spread and do the trace backs and trace forwards”, Mr Lethbridge said.
AuctionsPlus Integrity Lead Chloe Pike said when trading cattle on AuctionsPlus, assessors record key biosecurity details during the assessment process so buyers can make informed decisions.
Ms Pike said assessors when writing their cattle assessments, note whether cattle are in a tick zone and record additional details that may affect movement.
“This helps buyers work out if there are any movement restrictions that apply to the purchase”, she said.
Assessments also record whether the vendor guarantees cattle will clear the dip prior to delivery and who is responsible for associated costs. “If the vendor guarantees the cattle will be clear of the dip, then the cost sits with them,” Ms Pike said.
“If they don’t, then the purchaser will need to arrange it post sale.”
She said clearing facility details - such as an on-farm certified dip or nominated clearing point - are also listed in the assessment to ensure buyers and sellers remain compliant with tick movement requirements.
Mr Lethbridge believes stronger on-ground enforcement is needed to restore confidence in the system.
“We need DPI back doing what they should be doing, not stuck in offices,” he said.
“The information from DPI isn’t getting through Biosecurity Queensland to government properly.”
He said the southern quarter of the state requires targeted management to reduce the growing risk.
“That bottom quarter of Queensland – the really high risk area – needs a different approach, because the current system there is not working.”