Thursday, 14 September 2017 15:55

LIC to test bulls for Mycoplasma bovis

Written by 
Dr Richard Spelman. Dr Richard Spelman.

LIC, the country’s largest supplier of dairy genetics, will test its artificial breeding bulls for Mycoplasma bovis to provide its farmers with greater peace of mind through the dairy mating season.

The farmer-owned cooperative will supply approximately three-quarters of the dairy industry’s bull semen this spring mating period.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has said there is a low risk of transmission via semen, but there are no studies demonstrating that this actually happens in practice.

Dr Richard Spelman, LIC general manager biological systems, says it is understandable that farmers are concerned about the disease and any risk of transmission through bull semen, but they can have confidence in their co-op.

“Given there is currently no evidence to suggest that the disease is widespread in New Zealand, we can be confident this disease is not present in our bulls or semen supply, but we are taking extra precautions to provide our farmers with extra reassurance this mating season.

“From a young age, all of our bulls are permanently kept in strict quarantine and are under close veterinary supervision. As part of normal practice, collection bulls are regularly monitored for any signs of disease to ensure that semen is only processed from healthy bulls.

“Testing our bulls for the disease will provide the extra peace of mind that many farmers are wanting.”

Following the discovery of Mycoplasma bovis in July, LIC immediately implemented heightened hygiene precautions for staff visiting farms as part of infectious disease protocol and increased quarantine and stock control measures for its bull farms.

Testing of the bulls will start next week, and an extra antibiotic will also be added into the fresh semen diluent.

“We are confident this disease is not present in our bulls, but this additional antibiotic will further safeguard our semen supply without impacting the semen fertility.”

Spelman said all bulls LIC is commercially selling this season and that are on LIC farms will be tested, including the Premier Sires teams, Sire Proving Scheme, SGL and Wagyu. Results are expected in October.

More like this

LIC ready for challenges ahead

Herd improvement company LIC says it's well-positioned for the challenges ahead and remains focused on its core purpose - delivering value for farmer shareholders.

M. bovis plan on track

New Zealand's world-first Mycoplasma bovis eradication programme is making great strides but this isn't the time for complacency, says Ospri.

Breeding heat-tolerant cows for Africa

LIC is embarking on a ground-breaking project aimed at breeding heat tolerant and disease resistant dairy cows for Sub-Saharan Africa, in collaboration with the global leader in precision breeding, Acceligen, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Featured

Massey Research Field Day attracts huge interest

More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.

Boost for hort exports

The horticulture sector is a big winner from recent free trade deals sealed with the Gulf states, says Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg.

National

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of…

Machinery & Products

BA Pumps expand

Cambridge based BA Pumps & Sprayers, specialists in New Zealand-made spraying equipment, has acquired Tokoroa Engineering’s product range, including the…

Entries open for innovation award

Fieldays and its renowned Innovation Awards are celebrating their 57th year, marking a longstanding tradition in the agricultural calendar, with…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Chinese strategy

OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.

Not fair

OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter