Pilot testing begins at beef feedlot
New Zealand’s only large-scale beef feedlot, Five Star Beef, will be part of a new beef surveillance pilot for cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis.
Working with the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Mid Canterbury feedlot will test animals from most arriving consignments of cattle to provide surveillance of the country’s beef sector, supplying vital information to aid the eradication programme, Anzco livestock and supply chain general manager Grant Bunting said.
The feedlot has been under movement control following confirmation of infection with M bovis in August 2018.
Testing had been occurring since then but the pilot significantly increased the number of cattle being tested for antibodies to confirm their disease status on arrival at the feedlot, Bunting said. Cattle graze grass on farms until about they are 18 months old, before being sent to Five Star Beef for finishing on grain for an average of 120 days.
‘‘In a typical year around 40,000 cattle pass through the feedlot, providing a good opportunity to increase knowledge of M bovis within the beef industry,’’ Bunting said.
Most Five Star Beef-finished product was exported to supply niche markets for high quality grain-finished beef in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
The feedlot, which operated since 1991, has made headlines last year after animal welfare group Safe’s drone footage revealed its scale, with about 14,000 cattle on the coastal site at any one time.
In response, Five Star Beef owner Anzco said it took its animal welfare responsibilities extremely seriously. ‘‘It is in our commercial interests to make sure the animals are well looked after and are eating properly,’’ Bunting said.
The pilot testing was to identify farms that might have M bovis infection.