As the Army mission to North West Queensland wraps up, the focus now moves to the cattle clean-up after the floods.
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Now that the carcass disposal master plan has been signed off, the coordination of that clean up is the operation responsibility of Biosecurity Queensland.
Queensland chief biosecurity officer Malcolm Letts accompanied Army Joint Task Force leader Brigadier Stephen Jobson on a tour of affected areas on the weekend.
"The model is really about producer self-empowerment, the ($5000) cash grant goes to the producer who decides how to go about disposing of the carcass," Mr Letts said.
"A lot will have their own plant and equipment, some will have neighbours or other people that they use, or do it when their country is ready but there may be some instances where producers may not be able to get access to the equipment and that's where our resources will kick in."
Mr Letts said in that latter case they would work with local government and other locals to get the right equipment to those in need and provide technical advice with staff embedded into local government areas.
"We've got subject matter experts on carcass disposal and we've done quite a few projects over the last 10 years in preparing for foot and mouth disease, we hope we never get it but if we do it would be a massive uptake and we have sent people overseas to be trained in disposal and it is those staff we are able to mobilise to Julia Creek to do technical assessments."
Mr Letts said the main concern around carcass disposal was botulism.
"When cattle are low in phosphorus and chew bones they pick up botulism which is fatal," he said.
There are also diseases cattle can get if they drink water that has been contaminated by carcasses and there is risk to humans too such as Q Fever, and Mr Leets advised taking precautions during disposal.
"Take care, wear PPE we've provided through the councils and be careful about not being exposed to any liquids coming out of those dead animals," he said.
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
