3 minute read
Puzzles
Rural
Grace Prior
Mycoplasma bovis began running rampant through New Zealand cattle herds four years ago last month.
By 2019, four Wairarapa properties were identified with the disease – but now New Zealand is crawling ever closer to total eradication.
The first case of the disease in New Zealand hit on July 21, 2017.
By June 7, 2018, the Ministry for Primary Industries [MPI] confirmed the first positive test results for mycoplasma bovis on a Masterton sheep and beef farm.
MPI said the property was under legal controls restricting the movement of animals and other risk goods off the farm.
“As part of the government and sector group programme to eradicate the disease, all cattle on the farm will ultimately be culled, in agreement with the farmer concerned about timing.”
MPI said the property brought the total number of infected properties nationwide to 36.
“Biosecurity New Zealand expects to find further infected properties as the extensive tracing of animal movements continues.”
And they did; the total number of confirmed properties with herds infected with the disease as of late last month was 267, according to Biosecurity New Zealand.
On the flip side, there were only three active confirmed properties with herds infected by the disease as of two weeks ago.
All three of those properties were in the Canterbury region.
The fourth and latest Wairarapa property identified with the disease was struck in August 2019.
As of two weeks ago, 172,422 cattle had been culled across New Zealand, 2,288,668 tests had been administered, and $208.7 million had been paid by the government to farmers in compensation.
Biosecurity M. bovis programme director Stuart Anderson said the latest Technical Advisory Group for the mycoplasma bovis response showed New Zealand was on track to eradicate the disease.
“I know that farmers who have been impacted have found the process challenging. Their contribution has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated, and four years on since the disease was first detected, immense progress has been made towards eradication.”
Vet, registered specialist in cattle reproduction, and professor at Massey University Scott McDougall said the eradication programme had evolved significantly over the four years with streamlining of the many processes required with learning by MPI and industry partners.
“The programme has had significant impact on affected farmers, but improvements in processes and shortening of turnaround times for compensation, as well as support from numerous organisations, has hopefully reduced these impacts,” he said.
McDougall said not unexpectedly, due to the at-times cryptic nature of infection with this bacteria, combined with unrecorded cattle movements, cases were detected outside tracing networks through the background surveillance system.
He said a Canterbury cluster and several bulk milk test positive samples reinforced the need for ongoing care with cattle movements and National Animal Identification and Tracing recording.
“With currently only three active properties, there is cautious optimism that eradication may be achievable. However, longterm surveillance will be required before freedom from infection can be declared,” McDougall said.
University of Otago assistant research fellow Geoff Noller said the eradication programme had previously been heavily criticised for its “ham-fisted” response to managing the disease during its first 18 months.
He said two critical reviews had been undertaken since, identifying issues including a lack of staff to handle workload, a critical shortage of skilled and experienced workers in key roles, poor or absent liaison with veterinarians, and inadequate systems and processes to support the response.
“Subsequently, the programme has gained ground, with more recently-exposed farmers generally reporting increased timeliness of interventions and responses.”
Martinborough and Masterton spring cattle fair sale at the Masterton stockyards. PHOTO/FILE
COUNTRY LIVESTOCK
Report for Week Ending 30/7/21, by Chris Hicks.
Feeder calves: Bulls at $30–$60, Heifers at $35-$70. Sheep: 1 ram at $25, 1 ewe at $135. Orphan lambs: 1 at $82, 1 at $44. Lambs: 3 at $150, 1 at $30. Goats: Doe kids 2 at $44, 3 at $40, 4 at $32, Buck kids 1 at $31. Sundries: 35 Fence posts at $160, Teat feeders at $30-$50, Electric wire reel at $20$40, Gates a pair at $120, Test buckets pair at $65.
