Bikinis in cowshed
OPINION: An animal activist organisation is calling for an investigation into the use of dairy cows in sexuallly explicit content posted on social media and adult entertainment subscription site OnlyFans.
The Ministry for Primary Industries believes the fight against Mycoplasma bovis is being won – albeit slowly.
According to the latest report to MPI from the independent M. bovis technical advisory group (TAG), achieving eradication is feasible.
The TAG also supports the changes made to the programme over the last six months. It expects the disease to peak mid 2020 and then start to tail off. The latest figures show 4% of New Zealand’s 24,000 farms have been under restrictions and required testing due to possible exposure to M. bovis. So far, of the 201 farms found to be infected 185 have since been cleared of stock and declared safe to repopulate.
TAG’s report says there had also been signs of “improved operational performance” over the last six months, including a downward trend in the number of farms testing positive for the disease.
“Given currently available data, the TAG concludes that achieving biological freedom from M. bovis is feasible provided that the number of undetected infected herds is not large, infection has not established and spread within the non-dairy sector, and that the rate of transmission to new herds is reduced,” the report said.
TAG has also supported the development of a herd accreditation programme, which will allow farmers to purchase cattle from farms that are unlikely to be infected.
“The report has provided us with assurance that the programme is working, and that we’ve made the right changes and improvements over the past six months to improve the programme and support affected farmers,” MPI director-general Ray Smith says.
“M. bovis is one of the greatest biosecurity challenges we have faced in New Zealand, and both Government and our industry partners remain committed to achieving eradication while reducing the impact of that process on affected farmers as much as possible.
“The battle isn’t won yet. We still have hard work to do and there will be more farms placed under restrictions while testing is conducted. We also know that there are areas, like compensation, where we need to continue to improve.”
Smith claims that, so far, more than $100 million in compensation had been paid out and for most people the process is effective.
“However, we know that some complex claims are still taking too long and we are working on reducing that wait.”
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.
OPINION: Dust ups between rural media and PR types aren't unheard of but also aren't common, given part of the…
OPINION: The Hound hears from his canine pals in Southland that an individual's derogatory remarks on social media have left…