3 Hamilton steps down Vol 16 No 30, July 31, 2017
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MPI urges vigilance Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com
W
HILE he may be the first in New Zealand to have the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis detected on his farm, South Canterbury dairy farmer Aad van Leeuwen is confident he won’t be the last. The Ministry for Primary Industries notified the detection of Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) disease on a South Canterbury dairy farm on July 25, but the identity of the property wasn’t revealed until four days later, on Friday, prompting speculation to run rife meantime. Devastated that the disease – listed as an unwanted organism under NZ’s Biosecurity Act 1993 – had hit his dairy operation, van Leeuwen said he was cooperating 100% with MPI. “In fact, I have been willing long before now to keep moving on this faster than I have been allowed,” he said. “But for reasons critical to MPI and the meat industry, there was an embargo on what I could do, and I was told this was in the best interests of the industry to contain the disease. “I was set to destroy the cows as soon as they were diagnosed, I pushed very hard from day-one for that to happen but I had to wait – the embargo has been lifted and I can now do that. “The cows will go very soon,” van Leeuwen said. Initially 150 cows valued at about $270,000 would be killed. “It’s devastating and it’s
upsetting, for us and staff and everyone involved on our farm, but we know that this is what has to happen.” The van Leeuwen family run 13 dairy operations in the South Canterbury region, with an additional three support farms. The dairy enterprise includes the world’s largest robotic dairy barn, established at a cost of $22 million to carry a maximum 1500 cows. But contrary to assumption, van Leeuwen said M. bovis wasn’t the result of his barn farming. “All these infected cows were I was set to destroy outside cows, and all were in very the cows as soon good nick,” van Leeuwen said. as they were diagnosed He said he had never had – I pushed very hard any previous awareness of the from day-one for that to disease. happen. “But now I do believe this has been in NZ for a while, managed without knowing what it was – not Aad van Leeuwen just in South Canterbury, but right Dairy farmer across NZ. “It has only now been identified and I may be the first – I don’t CONCERN: About 150 farmers attended an MPI meeting on M. bovis cattle disease in Glenavy last Friday. know, perhaps we are lucky we are the first, but I am sure we won’t be “At this time, we are still of stock and other risk goods off not just the dairy industry – a lot the last.” determining the scale of this the farms. of beef farmers are getting calves Farmers at a meeting in situation through onfarm Neighbouring properties, from the dairy industry, so it’s Glenavy on Friday were keen to sampling and testing, and tracing understood to number about 50, pretty widespread for everyone.” learn more. of movements of stock on and off Anderson said it was made clear would also undergo testing. There was a real thirst for the properties. MPI regional controller Dr that MPI hadn’t identified the knowledge, Federaterd Farmers “This will help inform our Chris Rodwell said the situation vector of the disease. national meat and fibre chairman future management activities, was well under control, with “Tracing will be ongoing, but Miles Anderson said. which we are currently working support from the affected farm they said they may never know.” “It was a big meeting, about up in partnership with the animal owner and farm managers. There was still hope that the 150, and the MPI presentation industry bodies. “I cannot speak highly enough van Leeuwen property would was very good. “These could include area of the affected farmer and his be the only incursion, but as “There were a lot of questions movement controls, selective staff,” he said. “They’re working investigations continue farmers answered, and a lot that weren’t, culling of some stock, or closely with us during what is a were urged to be “extra vigilant”, but they [MPI] were upfront other long-term management difficult and stressful time for Anderson said. with what they couldn’t answer,” measures,” Rodwell said. them, and I applaud their level of Meantime, work continued at Anderson said. professionalism.” pace on the large van Leeuwen He said farmers’ main concerns ProCool Ice andoperation, Glycol options available. Rodwell said MPI’s focus was farming withalso all 16 had been about how to mitigate MORE: to identify affected stock and properties under Restricted Place spread. Notices controlling the movement contain the disease. “It has to be recognised this is UNDERSTANDING ESSENTIAL P8
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