Saturday, 10 December 2022 11:55

NAIT compliance essential for M. bovis eradication

Written by  Staff Reporters
Biosecurity New Zealand is reminding farmers to keep on top of their NAIT requirements. Biosecurity New Zealand is reminding farmers to keep on top of their NAIT requirements.

Biosecurity New Zealand is warning farmers that those who don’t keep accurate NAIT records put others at risk and can hinder efforts to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis).

Currently, there are six Active Confirmed properties with M. bovis infections and a Controlled Area Notice (CAN) is in place for the Wakanui area in Mid-Canterbury.

M. bovis programme director Simon Andrew says most of the infected properties would be cleared by early next year and eradication remains on-track, but it is vital that all farmers use NAIT properly.

“In our tracing work, we have identified some poor NAIT practices, which is disappointing,” Andrew says.

“Good NAIT records allow us to track any infection quickly, whereas poor records slows us down and heightens the risk that other farmers’ cattle are exposed to M. bovis,” he says.

Andrew says the eradication programme has come a long way and that is largely down to the hard work of farmers and the wider community.

He says that as we approach the end of 2022, it is timely to encourage farmers to do the right thing, adding that incomplete NAIT records had resulted in farms being placed under movement controls, which may not have been the case if animals were properly accounted for under NAIT.

“Farmers should be aware that, where necessary, the M. bovis Eradication Programme will refer those with poor NAIT records to MPI’s compliance team for investigation,” Andrew says.

MPI national manager of animal welfare and NAIT compliance Gray Harrison says that while NAIT use has improved, more work is required.

“When a person in charge of animal fails their NAIT obligations, they potentially put the whole sector at risk,” Harrison says.

“There has been improvement with registering animals after they have been tagged, but I’m concerned there appears to be a belief that this obligation starts and finishes with the person who has animals born on farm,” he says.

Harrison adds that every person who has NAIT animals on their property that were not born there needs to make sure they are tagged, registered and have had their movement recorded into the NAIT system.

“Not doing this could make you liable for an infringement or court prosecution if those animals remain unregistered, and, or, not recorded in a movement.”

Harrison says there have been some serious cases in 2022 that have gone before the courts. These cases involved hundreds of unregistered animals, resulting in thousands of dollars in fines.

“The consequences might seem severe,” he says, “but they’re a drop in the ocean compared to what it would cost to this country if this disease – M. bovis or something similar – gained a foothold in New Zealand.”

Harrison says anyone unsure about their NAIT obligations should reach out, as there is plenty of support and information available through OSPRI.

More like this

Feeding newborn calves

To ensure optimal growth, health, and wellbeing of calves, feeding strategies should be considered carefully.

Featured

Australia develops first local mRNA FMD vaccine

Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.

NZ household food waste falls again

Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.

Editorial: No joking matter

OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.

DairyNZ plantain trials cut nitrate leaching by 26%

DairyNZ says its plantain programme continues to deliver promising results, with new data confirming that modest levels of plantain in pastures reduce nitrogen leaching, offering farmers a practical, science-backed tool to meet environmental goals.

National

Machinery & Products

Tech might take time

Agritech Unleashed – a one-day event held recently at Mystery Creek, near Hamilton – focused on technology as an ‘enabler’…

John Deere acquires GUSS Automation

John Deere has announced the full acquisition of GUSS Automation, LLC, a globally recognised leader in supervised high-value crop autonomy,…

Fencing excellence celebrated

The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards,…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

A step too far

OPINION: For years, the ironically named Dr Mike Joy has used his position at Victoria University to wage an activist-style…

Save us from SAFE

OPINION: A mate of yours truly has had an absolute gutsful of the activist group SAFE.

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter