Get ready for Moving Day
Moving Day is a big day in the farming calendar and requires good planning and communication to ensure success.
The Mycoplasma bovis Programme claims to be making good progress towards the eradication of the disease from New Zealand.
The programme was set up in May 2018 in reaction to an outbreak of M. bovis and is jointly funded by the Government, DairyNZ and Beef+Lamb NZ.
All properties in the high-risk area in Wakanui, Mid Canterbury, which is under a Controlled Area Notice (CAN), have now been cleared of cattle. Testing will be underway shortly on the properties in the surrounding area with the CAN on track to be lifted in mid-March.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) says the number of active confirmed properties has decreased. M. bovis programme director Simon Andrew says the current number of confirmed properties is five, compared to 40 at the height of the outbreak. He adds that the programme expects all of the confirmed properties to be cleared within the first half of 2023.
“While this progress is great news for farmers, there is still work to be done before New Zealand can transition to the next stage of the eradication effort, which will primarily focus on bulk tank milk, and beef and drystock cattle surveillance,” he says.
“Over time, this will provide us with the necessary information for us to be confident the country is absent of the disease. It is expected that more infected properties may be identified before this shift.”
Andrew says the programme continues to find instances of poor NAIT practices, which he says is disappointing.
“Good NAIT records mean we can trace animal movements a lot faster, which in turn reduces the residual risk of infection and protects what we’ve all achieved to date.”
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.