Couple out of pocket over Mycoplasma bovis
The cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis has claimed more victims – this time farmers claiming to have spent almost $50,000 trying to import four champion jersey cows from Australia.
Rangiora dairy farmers Peter and Claire Hansen of Lilac Grove Jerseys had planned to import the cows but M. bovis has put paid to that. Their bid for compensation of $300,000 has also failed.
The claim related to quarantine and opportunity costs if the Hansens had managed to import the cows and breed from them.
Their misfortunes began on July 21 last year when M. bovis was first detected on a South Canterbury farm owned by Aad and Wilma van Leeuwen. Two months before, the Hansens bought four lots at a Kenarie sale in New South Wales for $22,000. The Hansens invested an additional $25,000 for the cows’ flights to New Zealand, including the quarantine testing for diseases such as M. bovis and lodging at an export-accredited facility in Sydney.
This was disputed by the Ministry for Primary Industries who said it received a claim from Hansen of $10,500 for vet testing, lodgings and shipping arrangements. The cows were only 10 days out from leaving Australia and had passed all their tests when the New Zealand border was closed on July 22. The cows were also close to calving. MPI refuted this, saying the import health standard was suspended on August 7. The Hansens offered to undergo further M. bovis testing, and Kenarie Jerseys offered a ‘‘herd of origin’’ test for M. bovis, which was negative. The cows also all tested negative for M. bovis, but MPI said it had not received confirmation from Australian authorities. In a letter by MPI director-general Martyn Dunne on February 26, the Hansens were informed they would not be eligible for compensation.
MPI’s Geoff Gwyn said ‘‘after lengthy discussions with Mr Hansen, and careful consideration of his claim, MPI has determined that he did not meet the criteria to receive payment for his losses.’’