Friday, 15 June 2018 07:55

Vets back eradication

Written by 
Dr Peter Blaikie. Dr Peter Blaikie.

Good onfarm animal management will be essential if plans to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis are to succeed, the New Zealand Veterinary Association says.

“This will be essential to stop the infection spreading and to ensure M.bovis isn’t re-introduced into NZ,” says NZVA president Dr Peter Blaikie.

“From an animal welfare point of view, eradication is the best option so we should give it our best shot,” Blaikie says.

 “For that reason, NZVA will throw its support behind the eradication plan.

“We agree with the government and industry’s assessment that eradication will not be easy and will come at huge personal and financial cost to farmers.

“The government has acknowledged that there could come a time when the decision to eradicate might be abandoned. However, that time is not now.”

To give the eradication plan the best chance of succeeding, it is essential that farmers work closely with their local veterinarians,  Blaikie says.

“This infection is difficult to identify, hard to test for and hard to treat. For that reason, if we want to stop the spread of the bacteria it is essential that veterinarians have real and regular onfarm contact with herds.

“Unless that happens, there is a real risk that new infections won’t be identified quickly enough and M.bovis could continue to spread.

“There have been media reports about one of the farms involved in this outbreak using a veterinarian located 1600km away. That sort of approach will not support the eradication plan and NZVA does not support it.

“We will continue to advocate for quality onfarm relationships that support animal welfare, responsible use of veterinary medicines and strong biosecurity. This outbreak underscores how important it is for veterinarians to have a real and regular on-farm presence.”

Blaikie acknowledges what a difficult time this has been for farmers, rural communities and the veterinarians working with them.

“Farmers have been under a lot of pressure over recent months and widespread culling of herds will add to this distress. 

“I also want to acknowledge the hard work done by vets during this outbreak. At times this has been challenging and emotionally draining for them.”

More like this

Prevention better than cure

The New Zealand Veterinary Association Te Pae Kīrehe (NZVA) is calling on animal owners to work with their veterinarian to keep animals healthy and help prevent drug-resistant infections from developing.

Critical worker status a win for vets

The New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) has welcomed a recent announcement that vets and other animal welfare professionals are now included in the Government’s critical worker category.

Featured

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

Editorial: Passage to India

OPINION: Even before the National-led coalition came into power, India was very much at the fore of its trade agenda.

National

Govt urged to reduce ETS units

The Climate Change Commission wants the new Government to reduce NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction volumes as son as…

Dairy sheep, goat woes mount

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand…

Machinery & Products

All-terrain fert spreading mode

Effluent specialists the Samson Group have developed a new double unloading system to help optimise uphill and downhill organic fertiliser…

Can-Am showcases range

Based on industry data collected by the Motor Industry Association, Can-Am is the number one side-by-side manufacturer in New Zealand.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Papal visit

OPINION: European farmers are going to extreme lengths to have their message heard.

Thai egg tarts

OPINION: The hustle and bustle of one of Bangkok's most popular fast food outlets may feel a world away from…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter