Livestock saleyards at Quoiba and Powranna will become havens for displaced livestock who survived the recent flood events of the past two days.
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Roberts livestock managers decided to open both saleyards after learning of the hundreds of animals who were lost and swept away by the flash flooding that struck across the North-West and North of the state on Monday.
Coordinator Ebony Bannister lives on the banks of the Mersey River at Union Bridge and said she decided she needed to do something to help the displaced livestock after seeing and learning of the large number of deaths that occurred during the flooding.
“In the past two days I’ve seen too many things that I wish I’d never seen, I have been isolated for the past two days and have only just got out now, I had to watch my neighbours lose all of their cattle, I know of friends at Latrobe who had to just watch as their dairy cattle were swept away,” she said.
About 20 head of cattle have already been delivered to Quoiba but Ms Bannister said she expected those numbers to increase as the waters receded in the next few days. Ms Bannister said while she understood the reason that people wanted to help, it was important they only did so if it was safe.
“If people find livestock, please don’t go in yourself, I know the feeling of wanting to swim in there and get them but the waters have done so much damage, it’s just not safe,” Ms Bannister said.
“If you find any, please contact your local Roberts manager, the SES, or me, I can help coordinate to collect them.”
Spreyton Vet Clinic has also offered its services to assist animals who were suffering as a result of exposure to the flood waters.
Ms Bannister said pneumonia posed a serious risk to livestock who had come into contact with floodwaters, particularly for cattle, who were susceptible to the condition.
Livestock will be attempted to be reunited with their owners and Ms Bannister said she hoped the community would embrace what they were trying to do, not exploit it.
“We have had a couple of farmers come in today looking for their stock but we haven’t reunited anyone yet,” Ms Bannister said.
“We are worried a bit about thieves, but we will use the national identification tag system and a lot of the guys who are helping me, they’ve been in the industry for so long they can sometimes tell by sight where the cattle may belong,” she said.
Roberts is organising trucks capable of collecting the animals once they have reached dry land but the SES is still the best contact for getting to animals cut off by the flood waters.
Once they reach the saleyards, volunteers with Roberts will use identification tags and local knowledge to try and reconnect them with their owners.
If you locate any livestock contact your local Roberts stock agent, or Ebony Bannister on 0419 326 348 or visit the Found Livestock Tasmania Facebook page.