Cow disease in Ashburton
The cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis has been detected on an Ashburton dairy farm, bringing to 14 the total number of infected properties nationwide.
However, the disease may be much more widespread because 30 other farms have had some association with the Ashburton property, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) said.
The Ashburton farm has 600 cattle on it, none of which had shown any signs of illness.
Before Christmas, it was reported as being under suspicion of having the bacterial disease.
Mycoplasma bovis is a common cattle disease in overseas dairy countries, but had not been detected in New Zealand until July last year.
Since then it has spread to nine farms in South Canterbury, three in Southland, one in Ashburton and one in Hawke’s Bay.
It is not considered a risk to human health to eat meat from animals that have been infected by the disease.
Despite Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor saying before Christmas that farmers whose cattle had been infected by the disease might lose their anonymity, MPI has declined to reveal the name of the latest infected farm.
The ministry’s response incident controller David Yard said the affected farm and an associated property had been under controls since Christmas Eve as a precautionary measure.
No animals or other risk goods such as used farm equipment had been allowed on or off the property during this time and these controls still stand.
MPI will now carry out checks and testing on the 30 other farms that have had some association with the new affected property.
It is also continuing tests on another Ashburton area farm that had previously returned inconclusive results. As yet, this farm is not regarded as positive, although it is under controls just in case.
Public meetings were held in Methven and Ashburton on Thursday to outline the situation.
They covered plans to test bulk milk and discard milk from farms in the area followed by a presentation and question and answer session.
DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle said the dairy and beef sectors needed to adopt a precautionary approach to managing the incursion. ‘‘We are still hopeful that Mycoplasma bovis can be controlled and ultimately eradicated from New Zealand. But to do so, everyone who works with cattle in New Zealand has a part to play in helping with this response ... As new cases appear, it leads to uncertainty. This is frustrating and worrying, but more importantly is something that should be managed by limiting animal contacts.’’
Farmers needed to quickly establish biosecurity practices that reduced the risk of Mycoplasma bovis getting onto farms, such as tracing animal movements through the NAIT scheme, which also had to be kept up to date. The disease was spread by animals coming into contact and double fencing two metres apart would prevent this.