One-stop shop to tackle M. bovis
A national pest management plan to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) will come into effect by the end of this year.
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 change marks the transition of the whole programme to a management agency, with the goal of eradicating M. bovis in New Zealand by 2028.
OSPRI took the opportunity to reinforce how well the programme had dealt with the issue, given that most other countries believed the task was impossible, but also reminding farmers of the need to be vigilant.
NAIT was designed to provide fast and accurate tracing of animals (deer and cattle) to support disease management in NZ, provided farmers “bought into” recording and supplying movement data in a timely manner.
Louisa Sahin, regional partner extension services for OSPRI, says the best way for farmers to help shut the gate on diseases like M.bovis is to keep accurate information about themselves, their farm and their herd via the NAIT system.
Noting that disease can spread rapidly through any locality, OSPRI highlighted the need to record and report animal movement onto or off farms within 48 hours of any such actions.
Sahin notes that she had heard reports of some stock owners being reluctant to tag animals, maybe because of losing tags accidentally. Rather, they preferred to tag animals as they left a property, likely to result in mistakes at the last minute. Helping visitors to Southern Field Days recently to have a little fun with this serious message, a roaming inflatable cow called Lucy was seen to be posing for the obligatory selfie with young and old, and even Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
The real winner of this year’s FMG Young Farmer Region-off have been the regional communities.
As calving approaches, farmers need to get their teams ready for what lies ahead in the coming months.
Feeling sluggish this winter? Then try some seasonal fruit, renowned for lifting mood, energy and immunity levels just when we need it most.
The missing link in getting maximum weight gain in your calves may be as simple as keeping them warm, says the Christchurch manufacturer of a range of woollen covers for young livestock.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) and Massey University are joining forces to help raise awareness and funds to combat leptospirosis.
Auckland-based supplement and nutritional company New Image International is celebrating 40 years of business in their home country.
OPINION: In 2021 a group of prominent academics got ’cancelled’ for daring to oppose changes to the school curriculum that…
OPINION: On top of the rural banking inquiry, several as-yet-unnamed banks are facing a complaint to the Financial Markets Authority…