Grazier angry over DPI's anthrax management

A New South Wales Upper Hunter cattle farmer says he is unhappy with the way the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has handled the anthrax outbreak.

Keith Miles is one of 11 cattle producers whose property in Rouchel, near Scone, is under quarantine after the infectious disease was detected at Christmas.
Mr Miles believes the outbreak should have been handled by Animal Health Australia under the AustVet plan.
He says the DPI was not prepared for the situation and has been making policies on the run.
"In Victoria they immediately quarantine the places immediately affected and they automatically vaccinate the surrounding area, and I mean a large area, so to make sure it doesn't spread any further," he said.
"Where as here it was left as an option for neighbours as to whether they vaccinated and then probably three to four weeks later they were talked into, 'it's probably a very good idea if you do it now'. It should have been automatic in the beginning."