When Alpacas go into Quarantine, we are preparing the alpacas for export.
To do this we have to prepare them to the wishes and directions of the Importing or Destination country.
Whilst the alpacas are in the quarantine facility...the Land is under the Destination countrie's leglislation, not Australia's, AQIS overseas the quarantine to make sure that the protocols for the destination country are met.
The Destination country, determines what can come into their country, and if any animal fails any tests, they are rejected from the shipment, but must stay until the shipment animals have departed, and costs are still applicable.
Nematodes
TESTING SAMPLES ARE TAKEN ON 2 OCCASSIONS TO CONFIRM NEGATIVE TO SALMONELLA. IF ANY POSITIVES DO OCCUR, THEN THE ALPACA CONCERNED WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE GROUP, BUT REMAINS IN QUARANTINE IN A SPECIAL ISOLATION AREA UNTIL THE SHIPMENT DEPARTS.
A NOTE ON Q FEVER - ALPACA
ALPACAS UP TO DATE HAVE NEVER TESTED POSITIVE TO Q FEVER
Coxiella Burnetii IS THE ORGANISM RESPONSIBLE FOR Q fEVER, WHICH BELONGS TO THE RITICIA fAMILY, BUT IS VERY DIFFERENT TO ANY TYPE OF RITICIA...the treatment and Control for Q fever, (Coxiella burnetii), Tetracyclines and Chloramphenicol are the drugs of choice.
Cattle, sheep, and goats are the primary reservoirs of C. burnetii. Infection has been noted in a wide variety of other animals, including other species of livestock and in domesticated pets. Coxiella burnetii does not usually cause clinical disease in these animals, although abortion in goats and sheep has been linked to C. burnetii infection. Organisms are excreted in milk, urine, and feces of infected animals. Most importantly, during birthing the organisms are shed in high numbers within the amniotic fluids and the placenta. The organisms are resistant to heat, drying, and many common disinfectants. These features enable the bacteria to survive for long periods in the environment. Infection of humans usually occurs by inhalation of these organisms from air that contains airborne barnyard dust contaminated by dried placental material, birth fluids, and excreta of infected herd animals. Humans are often very susceptible to the disease, and very few organisms may be required to cause infection.
Method of diagnosis
Acute and some chronic manifestations of Q fever can be diagnosed by serology.
Acute Q fever can be diagnosed by a fourfold rise in specific complement fixation (CFT), the preferred testing methid for the above protocol.
Incubation period
The incubation period is typically 19–21 days although the range is from two weeks to two months.
Measrurements are in Titre, which starts off as 1 :4, 1:8, 1:16, 1:32 (normal cut off, four fold the norm, for sheep, cattle, goats, and humans), 1:64 1:128, (the level NZ require as the cut off value).
NZ MAF new clause in their import permit conditions relating to the Q fever test to not allow any camelid which had previously tested positive for export to NZ.
TREATMENT: SPECIAL REGIME HAS BEEN WORKED OUT BY AUSTRALIA'S LEADING PARASATOLOGISTS, TO ACHIEVE THE EXPORT AIM
TESTING 10-14 DAYS AFTER ENTRY INTO QUARANTINE, FAECAL SAMPLES ARE TAKEN, AND SENT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL ALPACAS COME TO ZERO WORM COUNT
Salmonella
Q Fever
Leptospirosis
TESTING A BLOOD TEST IS TAKEN FROM ALL ALPACAS WITHIN 14 DAYS OF DEPARTURE.. IF ANY POSITIVES DO OCCUR, THEN THE ALPACA CONCERNED WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE GROUP, BUT REMAINS IN QUARANTINE IN A SPECIAL ISOLATION AREA UNTIL THE SHIPMENT DEPARTS.
TREATMENT EACH ALPACAS IS TREATED WITH OXYTETRACYCLINE DURING THE COURSE OF QUARANTINE.
OXYTETRACYCLINE IS USED TO CONTROL MANY DISEASES, AND IS A GOOD DRUG OF COURSE WITH FEW SIDE EFFECTS.
MARIAH HILL ALPACAS & EXPORT endeavour to meet the Destination countries protocols, in doing so occassionally, an animal will be rejected.
This does not happen often but it is always a possiblity, in this case, all the agreed sums or the export must still be met by the importer, as these expenses have already occurred.
It is unfortunate if this does happen, but we must always remember the purpose of the quarantine, which is to make sure healthy and disease free animals may enter the destination country.
Mariah Hill does endeavour to achieve to meet all the desitination countries protocols.
Insurance can be taken out to cover this, we recommend David Rowntree from William Inglis.
1800 800 325, it is quite reasonable, please enquire.
WHAT IS A FALSE POSITIVE IN Q FEVER When we test the alpacas in quarantine, we are testing for any potential disease that is in any animal..THAT IS OUR JOB..TO PROTECT THE DESTINATION COUNTRY FROM ANY UNWANTED DISEASES.
To measure these results for Q fever, to meet the NZ protocol, is done thru a CFT.
A pink dye or "agent" is used and if there are antibodies, (which is what this test is testing for, not the disease, as all that means is that they have come in contact with q fever , but do not have the disease)and if there is a reaction, then this reaction is measured, (say 32 times as in 1:32, to see the reaction).
What also has to be taken into account is that the agent can react to antibodies for other things as well, which are not q fever; for instance, say if a female had a temperature one day for some reason, maybe just a tummy bug, then she will throw antibodies to that bug, which can also react to the agent, but that is not q fever, and that is why they can throw a False Positive to the test.
there sometimes other fsctos that can throw a FALSE POSITIVE beyond the laboratory's control.
We have to be aware when we are exporting or importing, that there can be positives, or false positives, as this is what we are testing for, so at the end of the day, you will receive healthy animals, that will not pass on any diseases to your herd.
There is no record of any alpaca in the world contracting q fever, not even camels as at the time of writing this site
