Agisted cattle didn't cause anthrax outbreak: owner

An Upper Hunter property owner affected by the current anthrax outbreak at Rouchel does not believe it started because of agisted cattle.

More than 30 head of cattle and one horse have died from the disease, eight local properties have been quarantined and more than 1,000 head of stock have been vaccinated.
It is the first outbreak of anthrax in the region in about 60 years.
Keith Miles says while some of his cattle had been agisted in the known "anthrax belt" in western New South Wales during the drought, he doubts that is the cause of the outbreak.
"Some of them were on agistment there," he said.
"They have been back here for over six months and so far as I know we haven't had any deaths in those cattle so trying to draw a connection there is a long bow."

Meanwhile, the anthrax outbreak has forced the postponement of a campdraft planned for nearby Gundy today.
It was to be the first non racing event involving horses to take place since the equine influenza crisis and organiser Dan Floyd is hopeful it can be rescheduled for February or March.
"We thought we were on top of the flu and all our paper work was all [completed] unfortunately with the anthrax outbreak we thought best be safer, cut our losses and not take the chance of spreading anything," he said.