Test on way for cow disease
Farmers may soon have another test to check their herds for Mycoplasma bovis with a promising new tool being developed.
The commercial diagnostic tool for the bacterial disease would hopefully speed up lengthy official tests, but its release has more hurdles yet to pass. The tool is not a do-it-yourself test for farmers who would commission veterinarians to carry it out.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), which oversees the official tests, is among a partnership developing the tool with commercial laboratories and industry groups.
MPI lately had to reassure farmers it was responding to compensation claims as fast as it could in return for cows being culled in an attempt to prevent the disease from spreading. Farmer impatience has also been directed at the pace of testing for the difficult to diagnose disease. Equally, farmers have acknowledged their record keeping needed to improve.
Before the tool is released it must meet sampling guidelines, a testing strategy and possibly an accreditation programme to ensure it is accurately used and interpreted. MPI response director Geoff Gwyn said since the discovery of M. bovis last year the partnership had been working to provide farmers and vets with better diagnostic tests to assist in detecting the cattle disease on their farms. ‘‘However, while testing options and solutions are becoming available, we have identified that interpreting a one-off test result, even at the herd level, in isolation to other factors, is challenging and carries inherent risk for farmers.’’
NZVA chief veterinary officer Helen Beattie said the partnership was focused on helping farmers who were dealing with many uncertainties around the disease. ‘‘All parties are acutely aware of the need for a robust on-farm solution for farmers who are concerned about M. bovis.’’ An accreditation programme will likely consider test results and other factors such as herd management, animal health and record keeping, including NAIT records.
So far 30 properties have tested positive for the cattle disease and last month MPI decided to cull 22,000 cattle from them. The disease causes mastitis, abortion, pneumonia, and arthritis.