Abstract
This chapter is an overview of biosecurity in Australia as applied in beef cattle production. It covers protocols, notifiable diseases and risk assessment, and provides details of the resources needed to establish a sound, on-farm biosecurity protocol. The chapter also gives a summary of the beef cattle diseases that most affect productivity of cattle in Australia. This summary is not intended as a substitute for a veterinary textbook, but rather as a reference for tertiary students, producers, animal and agricultural scientists, farm consultants and veterinarians. Animal health is put into the context of the whole production system, emphasising understanding of the presentation and significance of cattle disease, prevention and treatment. A section at the end of the chapter covers basic cattle husbandry and handling. It describes some less traditional methods of handling and managing cattle as they might be applied in the context of Australian cattle production systems, highlighting the advantages of low-stress techniques. The chapter includes references for further reading, but does not purport to be a comprehensive review of this complex and ever-changing field of animal husbandry.