Malaysia is importing disease-free sheep breeding stock from Australia to increase its national flock from the present 80 000 to 12 million by the year 2000, to build up an industry that will provide rural sector employment. The additional sheep will control weeds and increase soil fertility in rubber and palm oil plantations, and provide valuable products. However, disease and breeding problems affecting early consignments of Australian sheep to Malaysia have demonstrated that the country must increase its expertise in sheep management, nutrition and disease control.

Bluetonguenow considered to be an infection of ruminants of the tropics and subtropics world-wideis probably the main problem encountered by Australian sheep in Malaysia, and deaths thought to result from the disease occurred in 1987, 1988 and 1989. Production losses, more typical of bluetongue infection, have probably also been substantial. This situation can be improved. It is well recognised that the impact of endemic bluetongue can be reduced by management practices and by vaccination, provided the ecology of the virus is understood and the serotypes causing disease have been identified.

In 1989, the Director of the Malaysian Veterinary Research Institute requested Australian collaboration to develop a bluetongue diagnostic and research capability at the central laboratory, Ipoh, and to make recommendations for the control of the disease. An Australian veterinary virologist experienced in bluetongue research, now employed by the Bureau of Rural Resources in Canberra, will head the Australian collaborative team as project leader. A number of Australian laboratories may also collaborate with the Malaysian scientists, supplying reagents, and the Oonoonba Veterinary Laboratory in Queensland will provide technical assistance. The Malaysian team will be led by Dr M Anwar of the Veterinary Research Institute, Ipoh.

The project objectives are to:

. isolate and characterise bluetongue viruses using improved methodology researched and developed by collaborating Australian and Malaysian scientists;
. determine which isolates are pathogenic;
. investigate the ecology of the virus; and
. make recommendations to reduce the impact of the disease.

First, the collaborators will use Australian field blood specimens of known virus and antibody history, and susceptible cell cultures, to allow Ipoh staff to develop competence and confidence in bluetongue diagnostic technology and research. Australian virus isolation systems will be used to demonstrate the presence and identification of bluetongue viruses from known positive Australian specimens. Second, serological procedures will be established at Ipoh using reagents and ruminant sera from Australia. Malaysian field material will be examined, and bluetongue viruses that are isolated will be characterised. Third, wider studies of field material will then provide information on the distribution and ecology of bluetongue virus in Peninsular Malaysia, and recommendations will be made as to the best methods of controlling the disease.
At the completion of the project, the Ipoh laboratory will be able to undertake research on bluetongue in Malaysia and provide laboratory support for bluetongue diagnosis, and vaccines if required, for local small ruminant industries. The enhanced ability of the Malaysian authorities to deal with the disease will assist in the national sheep-expansion program. Benefits should spill over to other countriesthe project could be repeated elsewhere, or the Ipoh laboratory may act as a centre for the development of the research competence of other laboratories in the region. This will facilitate the export of Australian livestock and the regional development of small-ruminant industries in Asia. Australian scientists will benefit by gaining further experience in working with bluetongue, and additional information on the bluetongue status of Malaysia will increase international understanding of the disease.