To whom it concerns,



My name is Kyra Duggan, and I’m a third year student at the University of Western Sydney currently undertaking my third year project. For this project I am asked to undertake some research with a client, mine being the Animal Biosecurity Unit of NSW Department of Industry & Investment (I&I NSW), formally known as NSW Department of Primary Industries. My project involves speaking to representatives and businesses within the sheep industry and looking at the current protocols they have in place for everyday disease control, and to be prepared for an emergency disease outbreak.



My research indicates that your business works within the sheep industry. I am asking you to please fill out a simple questionnaire that will take no longer than five minutes of your time. Please email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ASAP!!!!.



Any information you provide can be kept confidential if you choose, and will only be used for my study. The people who will have access to the information obtained will be:

o myself, Kyra Duggan, student at University of Western Sydney (UWS)

o Marilyn Evers, NSW Department of Industry & Investment, and

o Samsul Huda, UWS project supervisor.



If you have any concerns or questions about my project, please contact either myself , This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or my university supervisor Samsul Huda This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .



If you have any complaints or reservations about the ethical conduct of this research, you may contact the Ethics Committee/Panel through the Research Ethics Officer (tel: 02 4736 0883 or 4736 0884). Any issues you raise will be treated in confidence and investigated fully, and you will be informed of the outcome.



Thank you for your time. Any information you can provide me would be much appreciated.







Kyra Duggan









Biosecurity and the sheep industry



Name;_________________________________________________________________________

Education;______________________________________________________________________

Company:____________________________________________________________________________

Position:_______________________________________________________________________

Location:________________________________________________________________________

Size of Flock;_____________________________________________________________________

Contact Email (NOT ESSENTIAL):______________________________________________________



1. What is your understanding of the term ‘Biosecurity’ ?

Answer





2. What is the role of your organisation?

Answer





3. What information do you give to farmers, or people asking about disease control?

Answer





4. What shows do you promote people to show sheep?

Answer





5. What are some notifiable diseases in sheep?

Answer





6. Who would you notify if you had a disease outbreak?

Answer





7. What do you believe to be the top seven major risks to the sheep industry in Australia? (Please X)


Fly strike

Ovine Footrot

Lice


Bluetongue

Foot and Mouth Disease

Borna Disease


Ovine Johne’s Disease

Ovine Brucellosis

Goat Pox


Chlamydia

Rabies

Rift Valley Fever


Internal Parasites

Sheep pox

Sheep scab


Anthrax

Cattle Tick

Tuberculosis





8. Anthrax is a serious disease of sheep.

A) Have you ever had anthrax on your property? Yes / No

Do you know what the symptoms of anthrax are? Yes / No

If yes, symptoms include:

Answer





C) Do you take any actions to avoid anthrax in your sheep? Yes / No

If yes, actions include:

Answer





D) Would these change if there was an outbreak? Y / N

If Yes, what would you do differently?

Answer





9. Ovine brucellosis is caused by an infection within a ram’s testes. This infection is spread through semen, and can be found within the foetal fluids and mammary glands of infected ewes, as well as within the semen of the rams. Symptoms include abnormalities in the testes, epididymidis and accessory sex gland, causing infertility and sometimes sterility in in rams.

A) Have you ever had ovine brucellosis on your property? Yes / No

Do you know what the symptoms of ovine brucellosis are? Yes / No

If yes, symptoms include:

Answer





C) Do you take any actions to avoid ovine brucellosis in your sheep? Yes / No

If yes, actions include:

Answer





D) Would these change if there was an outbreak? Y / N

If Yes, what would you do differently?

Answer





11) Bluetongue is a serious disease of sheep.

A) Have you ever had Bluetongue on your property? Yes / No

Do you know what the symptoms of Bluetongue are? Yes / No

If yes, symptoms include:

Answer





C) Do you take any actions to avoid Bluetongue in your sheep? Yes / No

If yes, actions include:

Answer





D) Would these change if there was an outbreak of bluetongue in your district? Y / N

If Yes, what would you do differently?

Answer





15 Where do you believe you would first hear about a serious exotic disease outbreak in sheep?

Answer





16 If you did hear about a serious exotic disease outbreak in sheep, where would you go to find out what was going on and what it might mean for you personally?

Answer





17 Do you believe the sheep industry is ready to control an outbreak? Y / N

Why?

Answer







If possible, could you please attach any of your information that is given to farmers or people that are interested.



Thankyou for your time J

Kyra Duggan



Please return to:



Kyra Duggan

5 Bethany Place

Glenwood NSW

OR
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it







CONSENT FORM



I understand that I am providing information for a student project on the management of emergency disease risk in sheep.



I understand that the information will only be accessed by:

o Kyra Duggan, student at University of Western Sydney (UWS)

o Marilyn Evers, NSW Department of Industry & Investment, and

o Samsul Huda, UWS project supervisor.



I consent to this information being used to help assess the preparedness of the sheep industry for an animal disease emergency.





Within the report, I:



want my personal name and my business name kept confidential



want my personal name kept confidential, but allow my business name to be used



allow both my personal name and my business name to be used.



By signing below I am allowing any information I provide to be used within the project as I have directed.





Name:_______________________________________



Company:____________________________________



Signature:____________________________________



Date:___/___/2010