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© Beth LuckCattle are buried on Warrigundu Station in the Northern Territory.
Around 300 cattle, which died on an Indigenous-owned station in the Northern Territory this month, are believed to have contracted botulism.

The stock on Warrigundu Station, 300 kilometres south-east of Katherine, were reportedly vaccinated for the disease four days before the first cows started dying.

Garry Cook, from the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC), says the source of the botulism is still unknown, but it's most likely to have occurred in decaying animal carcasses.

"We're are really perplexed about what's happened because these cattle have been vaccinated every year.

"They were freshly vaccinated and turned out of the yards into this particular paddock," he said.

"So why these particular animals succumbed to something despite vaccination is something the Department of Primary Industry is still working with us on."

ABC Rural has obtained photos of some of the dead cattle, which have been buried in ditches.

Earlier this year, the station was named as one of the best Indigenous-owned and run businesses in Australia by the Federal Government.

Mr Cook says this is the first time the ILC has lost so many cattle under its management of properties in northern Australia.

"The ILC runs 96,000 head of cattle across Australia and this is the first time anything like this has happened to us.

"The management protocols and procedures here on Hodgson Downs (Warrigundu) are the same we apply across all the stations," he said.

"With vaccination against botulism every year, supplementation with phosphorus over every wet season, we are nonplussed to say the least."

The NT Department of Primary Industry issued a statement to ABC Rural which confirms the cattle died from botulism.

"The DPIF understands that the cattle were vaccinated, but even properly vaccinated cattle can succumb if the amount of toxin is high enough to overpower the animal's immune system.

"The investigating veterinarian determined that there were no issues with access to feed and water, and the affected animals were seen to be in good condition," the statement read.

"The circumstances that led to the botulism outbreak are still being examined, to aid in preventing similar episodes in the future."