New regulations introduced this year, which aim to put the onus on producers to reduce the risk of bringing the disease onto their farms, require sellers of dairy cattle to provide a Dairy BJD Assurance Score.

One is high risk and ten is low, and NSW Department of Primary Industries recommends beef producers who want to remain free of the disease only buy cattle with a score of seven or above.

The chronic wasting disease, prevalent in Victoria and occurring in pockets of NSW where dairy genetics have been sourced from the southern State, has no cure.

Because it can cycle through stock, constantly re-infecting pasture, it requires an intense management plan to eradicate.

"This is a major warning for all beef producers buying dairy cattle in NSW - they need to understand the risks of bringing BJD onto their farm if they buy low Dairy Score dairy cattle," said Sally Spence, NSW Department of Primary Industries technical specialist.

* Extract from a full report to appear in The Land, July 3 issue.