increase font size
Strong industry participation and controls remain critical to controlling and ultimately eradicating TB, says B+LNZ.
New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
TBfree, which is administered by OSPRI, has a goal of eradicating TB from New Zealand by 2055. To date, the programme has seen current numbers of affected herds reduced to 14 out of around 75,000.
However, Dave Harrison, general manager policy and advocacy for B+LNZ, says strong industry participation and controls remain critical to controlling and ultimately eradicating the disease.
“The success so far is down to everyone involved in TBfree, including farmers, vets, farm advisors, pest controllers, and regulatory agencies,” says Harrison.
“We are doing well but we cannot afford to be complacent. There’s more to do to eradicate the disease, to protect our valuable dairy, beef and deer industries and safeguard our rural communities.
“If we take our eye off the ball, then there’s a risk that we could go backwards quickly – something we saw in the 1970s and 1980s when control efforts were scaled back. The reality is that we won’t get to zero, or be able to maintain current low numbers, until the disease is no longer present in wildlife, primarily possums,” says Harrison.
“The risk is not just to our beef, dairy and venison export industries, but also to the wellbeing of our farmers and our rural communities.”
He is encouraging farmers to share their views on the future of TB control and eradication in the upcoming 10 year statutory review of the programme.
The review provides an opportunity to discuss how the programme is tracking against the current plan set in 2016.
It will look at different options for the best ways to achieve the programme’s goal. There will be opportunities to provide input into the review during June and July.
“We need everyone involved to have their say on what, if anything, we need to do differently over the next ten years.
Bovine TB is a risk to the farming industry, animal health and the country’s economy. New Zealand is at a higher risk than many other countries, in part due to the risk of TB being spread by possums.
Proposed options in the consultation will be informed by several independent technical, science and financial reviews of the 2016 TB Plan and its progress over the last nine years.
There will be online consultation and submissions as well as some in-person presentations in areas still most impacted by TB.
Following consultation, recommendations will go to the Minister of Biosecurity in August.
OSPRI is an independent company tasked with delivery of two statutory programmes, NAIT and TB free. It is also currently managing the eradication of Mycoplasma bovis.
It is funded by farmers through shareholders DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand and Deer Industry New Zealand, and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
OPINION: Mike Chapman, former chief executive of levy-funded HortNZ, has thrown out a challenge to farmers and growers to put their levy-funded industry organisations under the same scrutiny as fertiliser, electricity, labour and freight.
Rearing facilities should be set up and maintained well to ensure calves stay healthy.
Solid biosecurity practices, regular monitoring and timely vaccination are the three key pillars of effective Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) control on New Zealand farms. Zoetis veterinary technical advisor, Karley DeFrees, explains BVD is a costly but preventative disease that impacts a significant number of dairy farms in New Zealand. Implementation of a BVD control plan can help protect your herd from this avoidable disease.
Although preventable, lamb loss from clostridial diseases during the first year of life on New Zealand hill country farms continues to be an issue. A field trial, where lambs were vaccinated at docking and weaning, demonstrated that vaccination was highly effective, lowering clostridial deaths by 23%. Zoetis veterinarian Dr Victoria Chapman unpacks the importance of robust animal health programmes, vaccination timing and the potential harmful consequences for stock when vaccination isn't given.
Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) is estimated to cost New Zealand's dairy and beef industries more than $150 million every year, yet many of the tools needed to control it are already well understood. After more than 25 years in veterinary practice, Andrew Weir, animal health technical specialist at LIC, has seen firsthand the impact BVD can have on herd performance. We asked him about the role of persistently infected (PI) animals and the practical steps farmers can take to reduce their risk.
A four year trial has reaffirmed that mixing plantain into dairy pastures can help reduce nitrogen losses to freshwater while maintaining milk production and profitability, say researchers.
Fonterra has opened its upgraded Chengdu Application Centre, bringing New Zealand dairy expertise closer to customers in one of China's fastest-growing regions.
When it comes to annual rebates, it's been a long time between drinks for Ravensdown shareholders.
Special courses for secondary school teachers to help excite kids about agriculture and horticulture are now being run at Massey University.
Running a tight and self-contained ship is the key to the success of the country's largest dairy farmer, says Blair Robinson, the new man at the helm of Dairy Holdings.
Federated Farmers president Colin Hurst and his family raised a glass of milk last week to toast the start of a new addition to their farming operation at Makihihi, south of Timaru.
OPINION: The same mainstream media muppets that brought you Jacindamania in 2017 have been flat out pimping for the Opportunities…
OPINION: Your old mate reckons the atrocious way farmers in the UK are treated by their lords and masters in…
