How to protect your block

A study of NZ lifestyle block owners finds we’re doing ok with biosecurity, but could do better.

LIFESTYLE BLOCK owners report having a good awareness of the need for on-farm biosecurity.

However, a study done as part of the Mycoplasma bovis Programme by Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research also found risky practices that block owners might not consider as biosecurity issues.

“How they manage the movement of cattle and people to and from their property is very important,” says Stuart Anderson, the director of the Mycoplasma bovis

Programme, run by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

While most lifestyle block owners report that they register and tag their cattle under the OSPRI National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) programme, it’s vital:

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all cattle are registered;

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to have a Person In Charge of Animals (PICA) designated for your block.

Livestock owners must also complete an Animal Status Declaration (ASD) for any animals moved between properties, including:

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cattle, sheep, goats, horses, deer;

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pigs (which have their own special ASD form);

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ostriches, emus;

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alpacas, llamas.

Why tracing is crucial

One cattle owner not complying with traceability correctly can lead to a big impact on other cattle owners’ businesses.

“Poor NAIT records significantly increase the time and resources required to trace and lockdown M. bovis-infected stock,” says Stuart Anderson. “This means more farms could be infected or placed under movement controls.”

The main ways M. bovis spreads is through movements of infected cattle into new herds, and calves drinking milk from infected cows. MPI recommends keeping new and older cattle separate when grazing, not sharing untreated milk or colostrum, and securing farm and paddock boundaries.

During calving season, they also recommend using milk that has a low risk of containing M. bovis such as calf milk replacer powder, acidified milk or pasteurised milk.

How to acidfy milk: dairynz.co.nz/mbovis