We must keep our foot on the pedal
OPINION: Last week marked a major step forward in our work to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis.
In his final update for 2022, Andrew says they are on track to clear all confirmed infection which is isolated to a sole pocket in the Wakanui area.
By the end of January 2023, depopulation is scheduled to be completed on all six currently known Active Confirmed properties, and farms covered by the Wakanui Controlled Area Notice will have been destocked, he says.
“Clearing all confirmed cases of infection is an important milestone in the eradication effort.
“Once infection is removed from all active confirmed properties, the Programme will move into a new phase of eradication during which the focus will be gathering evidence that M. bovis is absent from New Zealand.”
Background surveillance (Bulk Tank Milk and National Beef and Drystock Cattle Surveillance) will be key in this phase of the programme, he adds.
It will involve collecting several years of surveillance data in the absence of finding infection to provide confidence that M. bovis is no longer present on New Zealand farms, he says.
