M. bovis - we need to be vigilant
From November 1, 2023, Ministry for Primary Industries’ Mycoplasma bovis Eradication Programme has been contracted out to disease management agency OSPRI, as it enters a long-term surveillance phase.
The 'moving day' period is generally the busiest time of the year for stock relocating with around two million animals moving nationwide.
This situation heightens the risk of disease spread so it is essential farmers moving herds or farm are ready and prepared.
Moving farmers are required to register a new NAIT number for their new location and record a movement for animals in the NAIT online system.
Dairy farmers and sharemilkers should also review their tag management when moving farms. Any unused dairy participant code NAIT tags will need to be reassigned to the new location.
"The OSPRI Contact Centre can reassign these tags to a new NAIT location number because the participant code printed on the tags refers to a herd, not a location," says head of traceability Kevin Forward.
"However, if your tags have a NAIT location number printed on them, they cannot be re-assigned. So, if you have stockpiled NAIT tags, you will be unable to use them at your new location.
"If taking over an existing NAIT number, farmers can use tags that have been left by an outgoing manager when they become the registered PICA (person in charge of animals) at that NAIT location.
"When farmers manage their NAIT tags and register their animals properly, it is easier to trace animals, and where they've been.
"This way you are supporting national biosecurity and the effectiveness of a potential disease response," says Forward.
