Strong uptake of good wintering practices
DairyNZ has seen a significant increase in the number of farmers improving their wintering practices, which results in a higher standard of animal care and environmental protection.
This follows the outbreak in nearby Indonesia and fears that it could spread to NZ where it could have devastating effects.
Dr Liz Shackleton, DairyNZ's biosecurity manager, says that while the overall risk of the disease spreading to NZ is considered low at this stage, they are taking the threat seriously and says people can't be too careful in their biosecurity practices to make sure the disease is not established here.
She says they have put together a significant package of information to help farmers develop biosecurity plans and to be aware of the signs of FMD.
"We are getting them to look at their biosecurity practices and a key one is keeping their NAIT records up to date," Shackleton told Dairy News.
"They should tag and register and keep those movements recorded within 48 hours. And with the borders now fully reopened it's really important to keep any overseas workers or visitors away from the farm and stock for that one-week standdown period, and also ensuring that they have robust biosecurity plans in place.
"This includes making sure that no untreated meat or animal products are fed out to pigs and/or other FMD susceptible stock," she says.
Shackleton says they are urging farmers to keep an eye out for the unusual and if they think their stock are displaying any symptoms of FMD - such as a high fever, lesions around the mouth or lameness - to call their vet or the MPI pest and disease hotline.
"We are conscious that it's a really busy time out there for farmers at the moment with calves on the ground and million other jobs to do.
"That is why we have put together the dedicated website so they can go to one place and get all the information they need and hopefully save them time."
According to Shackleton many farmers are aware of the risks of FMD. She says, for a start, some NZ vets worked in the UK when there was an outbreak of the disease there in 2001. There were also lessons in NZ from the recent M. bovis outbreak and from Covid that can be applied to an FMD outbreak.
Shackleton says when DairyNZ staff sit down and talk to farmers they are able to point to these other events, which helps them frame their own on-farm biosecurity plan.
"But one again a key issue to emerge is the importance of NAIT and good traceability," she says.
As expected, DairyNZ is working closely with Beef+Lamb and MPI to ensure coordination of messaging and action plans. Shackleton says the strong partnerships between industry and the Government is vital to dealing with FMD or another biosecurity risk.
But she adds, while DairyNZ's focus at the moment is on helping dairy farmers deal with the risk of FMD at a very busy time of the year, biosecurity goes well beyond the border - everyone in the community must play their part to ensure FMD doesn't reach our shores.
