Indo LSD live-ex facility suspensions briefing for producers tonight

The move came after the detection of lumpy skin disease in Australian cattle shipped to Indonesia.

The webinar will be held tonight at 7pm, via this link and peak industry groups including Cattle Australia, the Australian Live Exporters Council and the Red Meat Advisory Council have urged all involved in the trade, and the cattle industry, to attend. No registration is required.

More than 4000 head of cattle are estimated to currently be in quarantine at the affected live-ex depots in the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland.

The number one message from industry leaders and the government is that Australia remains free of LSD and the live cattle trade between Australia and Indonesia remains in operation.

Testing of cattle in the four facilities to confirm the absence of lumpy skin disease is now underway, with the objective being to get those results to Indonesian quarantine officials as quickly as possible to provide clarity around the status of animals coming from Australia.

Cattle Australia chief executive officer Luke Bowen said every animal that leaves Australia is checked for signs of a range of diseases when in quarantine yards.

Precautionary tests for diseases like LSD are then carried out where animals fit the criteria.

In the Northern Territory so far this year more than 100 animals with skin lesions from fly bites have been tested for LSD and all returned a negative.

"This is how we can say conclusively that Australia is free of LSD," Mr Bowen said.

"The robust systems that Australia has for the ongoing monitoring of our animal disease status supports us to trade right around the world."

The 13 Australian animals that returned a positive LSD test in Indonesia were not tested immediately after arrival, Mr Bowen said.

"We are seeking specifics around the timing of tests and the vaccination status of the animals but we do know testing wasn't immediate in this case."

That would suggest the possibility the positive tests were the result of vaccination antibodies, or contracted in-market.

However, Mr Bowen said the Australian cattle industry respected the right of Indonesia's technical authorities to seek relevant assurances that live cattle exported from Australia comply with their animal health requirements.

Chief executive officer of the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association Will Evans reiterated the trade of live cattle to Indonesia remained open.

A total of 28 other quarantine facilities are in operation.

"The effect of these suspensions will be that the yards will not be able to export to Indonesia until this suspension is lifted," Mr Evans said.

"These yards will still be able to export to other markets for which they have accreditation, and other yards in the Territory will be able to continue to supply Indonesia."

Both CEOs reiterated the value of the trade partnership with Indonesia to Australia's cattle industry and wider economy.

"The Australian cattle industry has a long and deep relationship with Indonesia," Mr Bowen said.

"This relationship remains critical to Northern Australia, underpinning strong economic, social and cultural ties."