Investigation skills and samples
Skills to help confirm a diagnosis
and prevent further cases
Cattle Skin Survey
Participation in this survey keeps awareness of skin lesions - and focus on LSD exclusions - front of mind.
NABSnet Sampling by Syndrome Guide For Vets
Download the NABSnet SDI syndrome sampling guide - mind maps for differentials and sampling tips for: neurological, respiratory, skin, sudden death and illthrift syndromes
Illthrift differentials and sampling guide for cattle
Causes of illthrift (failure to grow or maintain weight in the presence of apparently adequate nutrition) in cattle in northern Australia - and what samples to send to the lab.
Improving diagnostic outcomes with the lab
Shirley Turner's tips for sample collection and troubleshooting unsatisfactory outcomes.
Disease mapping
Tristan Jubb's practical approach to livestock disease investigations - where the focus is reaching a confirmed diagnosis and preventing further cases.
Sudden death differentials and sampling guide for cattle
Causes of sudden death in cattle in northern Australia and what samples to send to the lab.
Skin lesions differentials and sampling guide for cattle
Causes of skin lesions in cattle in northern Australia and what samples to send to the lab.
Respiratory differentials and sampling guide for cattle
Causes of respiratory signs in cattle in northern Australia and what samples to send to the lab.
Neurological differentials and sampling guide for cattle
Causes of neurological signs in cattle in northern Australia and what samples to send to the lab.
Mastering your brain smear technique
How to do brain and organ smears to help the diagnostic workup in the laboratory (eg rule-out tick fever).
Collecting maggots for Screw Worm Fly surveillance
Use Animal Health Australia's kits to collect maggots and send to the lab when investigating myiasis (flystrike) in northern Australia.
Lumpy Skin Disease resources
Lumpy Skin Disease, a pox virus infecting cattle and buffalo, has been spreading rapidly across Asia in 2021. It has never been reported in Australia. Ring the EAD Hotline if you suspect a case.
Collecting Johne’s disease samples
Lab requirements for faecal samples collected for JD testing for stock movements, export testing or clinical diagnosis.
Guides to collecting and preserving plant specimens
Guides to collecting and preserving plant specimens and contact details for services to northern Australia.
Collecting and transporting ocular fluids
Get useful diagnostic biochemistry up to 48 hours after death by sampling and submitting ocular (eye) fluid in a livestock post mortem.
Laboratory diagnosis of botulism
Samples to send the lab in suspect cases of botulism in livestock to rule-out common differentials and help confirm the diagnosis.
Using jab sticks (aka pole syringes)
How to use a jab stick (pole syringe) to sedate or medicate cattle that you can't, or don't want to, get close to.
Mastering your blood smear technique
How to run a blood drop along the slide for a perfect blood smear - a great aid when investigating sudden death or ill thrift.
NABS SDI Field Guide
The Field Guide describes the NABS SDI process, differential diagnoses for clinical syndromes of cattle in northern Australia and what samples to collect.