Livestock standstill

A livestock standstill limits the spread of emergency animal disease by stopping the movement of livestock. It is a critical control measure to limit the spread of significant, highly contagious animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

In Queensland, a livestock standstill would be called a movement restriction and would be administered with a government legislated biosecurity emergency order under the Biosecurity Act 2014.

Everyone in the livestock supply chain needs to understand how a livestock standstill works. This includes livestock owners, transporters, produce agents, and those who work in abattoirs, saleyards and feedlots.

Under the Queensland Biosecurity Act 2014, everyone must follow regulations, orders and instructions issued to enable a livestock standstill. Penalties for breaching movement restrictions prescribed in a biosecurity emergency order can include significant penalties.

Purpose of a livestock standstill

A livestock standstill:

  • helps to limit the spread of highly contagious diseases
  • gives authorities time to conduct biosecurity activities, such as
    • disease surveillance
    • tracing the movements of potentially infected animals to identify where a disease may have originated or spread.

What you should do in a livestock standstill

During a livestock standstill, you must not commence new movements of any animals at risk of infection off a property, or receive any at-risk animals onto a property that commenced movement after the livestock standstill was declared, except with permission from theDepartment of Agriculture and Fisheries.

If at-risk animals are already in transit at the time a livestock standstill commences, the owner or person in charge of the animals must comply with the requirements of the standstill and manage the animals appropriately to reduce the risk of spreading disease. Information on how to appropriately manage animals will be provided at the time the livestock standstill commences. The same applies to animals that are being walked from one property to another, including on stock routes.

Biosecurity Queensland will use risk assessments and movement guidelines to decide the best course of action during a livestock standstill, which may include determining appropriate destinations to which your animals can travel. This may be different from their original destination.

Beginning new journeys or moving at-risk animals during a livestock standstill without approval is a breach of the Biosecurity Act 2014 and is illegal.

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries inspectors, Transport and Main Roads inspectors, and police all have powers to give directions that must be followed during a standstill. You must comply with all regulations, orders and instructions issued as part of a livestock standstill.

Notification of a livestock standstill

If a livestock standstill is declared through a biosecurity emergency order in Queensland, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries will notify:

  • livestock industry bodies
  • livestock transport companies
  • livestock owners
  • abattoirs
  • saleyards
  • feedlots
  • others in the livestock supply chain
  • the public.

The requirements during the livestock standstill would be communicated using a range of channels, including the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries website and the Biosecurity Entity Register.

All keepers of livestock in Queensland, both commercial producers and hobby owners, must be registered. You can check, register or renew your registration through the Biosecurity Entity Registration Portal.

Diseases that require a livestock standstill

Significant and highly contagious emergency animal diseases, such as FMD, could trigger a livestock standstill.

Animals affected by a livestock standstill

The species or classes of animals affected by a standstill will depend on the disease involved.

For example, in the case of FMD, all cloven-hoofed animals would be subject to the movement restrictions associated with a livestock standstill. This would include livestock such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, deer, and camelids such as camels, llamas and alpacas.

Other items affected by movement controls but not a livestock standstill

The livestock standstill applies only to live susceptible animals. Other items such as animal products, equipment, clothing, vehicles, animal feed, bedding and waste material which may also spread disease will be subject to movement controls but are not part of the livestock standstill. Such movement controls may be put in place at the same time the livestock standstill is in place.

Area affected by a livestock standstill

The geographic area affected by a livestock standstill will depend on the size and nature of the disease outbreak. It could range from a single region to the entire state. Where multiple states are involved or concerned, the livestock standstill may include those jurisdictions or the entire country.

Vehicles affected by a livestock standstill

Any vehicle that is carrying animals at risk of infection or unloads these animals after a livestock standstill commences may be directed to take certain action. Vehicles include:

  • body trucks
  • semi-trailers
  • train wagons.

Ending a livestock standstill

A livestock standstill will end once urgent disease-control objectives have been met. This typically includes:

  • gaining an understanding of the extent of the disease
  • determining animals and properties at risk
  • determining the effectiveness of biosecurity controls implemented
  • having arrangements in place to manage ongoing risk from movements of stock and risk items.

Where required, the biosecurity emergency order will be replaced by other legislative tools that will enable effective controls of livestock and specified items. The AUSVETPLAN disease strategies detail these movement controls.

Any actions required during or after a livestock standstill will be communicated by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and through industry networks.

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  • Last reviewed: 2 Dec 2021
  • Last updated: 21 Jun 2022