Vaccinate against new lepto strain
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
A new video series produced and developed by Massey University researchers may save some of the 100 people each year that are affected by leptospirosis.
The seven-part series aims to give farmers information to protect themselves, their families, workers and livestock from the bacterial disease.
The University has produced documents in the past, including a flyer credited with saving ill farmer Phil Cregoe in 2009. His wife Jo says she recognised the symptoms that doctors missed as a result.
"I had the pamphlet from Massey and I kept trying to be firm but polite saying... I thought the meningitis-type state he was in was pointing towards lepto," Mrs Cregoe said at the time.
The video series goes further, including information on how to prevent the disease through vaccination of animals, recognising symptoms and how control its spread if farmers or livestock do become infected.
A team of academics from the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences alongside staff from the School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing, developed the series. With the institute team including world leaders in leptospirosis disease and diagnosis research Dr Jackie Benschop, Dr Julie-Collins-Emerson, Professor Cord Heuer and Professor Peter Wilson.
Dr Benschop says the video is important because so many cases of leptospirosis are going unnoticed. The estimated total number of cases is about 43 times higher than the number of notified cases, due to misdiagnosis or issues with accuracy of lab testing. It is a very complex disease, with multiple strains and hosts as well as an environmental component.
The launch of the series was part of a presentation at the Rural Women New Zealand annual conference last weekend. The videos are available on the Massey University YouTube channel.
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
OPINION: This old mutt well remembers the wailing, whining and gnashing of teeth by former West Coast MP and Labour…
OPINION: Your canine crusader gets a little fed up with the some in media, union hacks, opposition politicians and hard-core…