Hunt narrows for M bovis source
Officials on the hunt for the source of the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis have narrowed their search to two properties in the upper North Island and one in Southland, sources say.
Two sources with a close knowledge of the situation said the North Island raids carried out in late March by Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) officials were related to veterinary businesses importing illegal drugs.
The Southland search involved a farm.
One of the sources said some veterinary pharmaceutical companies sold cheaper drugs not commonly used in New Zealand.
They may not have been screened for M bovis, as legally they did not have to. The source said it appeared likely the arrival was caused by a single event, and the raids gave a clue as to what that might have been.
M bovis is a cattle disease detected for the first time in New Zealand last July. It is widespread elsewhere in dairying countries, and causes a variety of ailments from untreatable mastitis in dairy and beef cows, pneumonia in up to 30 per cent of infected calves, ear infections in calves, abortions and swollen joints and lameness.
Thousands of cattle have already been culled to try and eradicate the highly contagious disease. An MPI spokeswoman said veterinary medicines underwent a full risk assessment before they could be imported for sale or use in New Zealand.
‘‘In addition to this all veterinary medicine manufacturers must operate to strict standards to ensure they comply with their approved specifications and registration conditions. Manufacturers are audited on a regular basis to verify compliance to these standards.’’
Asked if MPI would pay compensation to a farmer who acted illegally, the spokeswoman said under the Biosecurity Act compensation would not be paid to a person ‘‘who had failed to comply with biosecurity law in a significant way or in a way which contributed to the presence of the organism or the spread of the organism’’.
MPI would not comment on the locations of the raids or whether illegal drugs were the likely source of entry for Mycoplasma. ‘‘We cannot comment on this while an active investigation is underway,’’ the spokeswoman said.