NORTH Queensland graziers are facing tough restrictions following the discovery of Bovine Johne's disease.
The disease was found in cattle on the Rockley Stud at Bajool, south of Rockhampton, last week.
Since then, Biosecurity Queensland has contacted more than 150 property owners who have bought cattle from the stud.
Movement restrictions have been placed on almost all of these properties, Biosecurity Queensland's chief veterinary officer Dr Rick Symons said.
"It will take a number of months to thoroughly assess the BJD risk for each individual property," he said.
Dr Symons said that so far the only cattle confirmed with the disease were those on the Rockley Stud.
A declaration by Rockley Brahman Stud owners Chris, Sally and Ashley Kirk on their website yesterday described their shock at the discovery of the disease in their herd.
"We have no evidence as to how or when it came into existence on our property," they said.
Well-known North Queensland stud Brahman breeders Brian and Cindy Hughes from Georgetown have bought cattle from Rockley and are now in lockdown.
"We are waiting to have our cattle tested," Mrs Hughes said.
She said testing could take as long as six months and, in some cases, could stretch out to two years.
Mrs Hughes said she was hopeful a testing regime which is being developed at Sydney University and is designed to reduce testing time down to seven days would soon be available.
But there is no suggestion from official quarters of the new drug being available soon.
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