Saturday, 29 July 2017 07:55

MPI working on cow disease

Written by Sudesh Kissun

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The Ministry of Primary Industries says work continues at pace on a large farming operation in the South Canterbury/Oamaru area to manage the bacterial cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis.

Currently one farm in the Van Leeuwen Dairy Group of farms has confirmed test results that are positive for the disease. Tests have been carried out on stock on other farms in the enterprise.

The Ministry has 16 individual properties within the operation under Restricted Place Notices controlling the movement of stock and other risk goods off the farms.

MPI’s regional controller Dr Chris Rodwell says the situation is well under control with support from the affected farm owner and farm managers.

“I cannot speak highly enough of the affected farmer and his staff. They’re working closely with us during what is a difficult and stressful time for them and I applaud their level of professionalism.”

MPI’s focus is to identify affected stock and contain the disease. This is being done by isolating the affected farms. The farmer concerned has euthanised a small number of animals voluntarily for animal welfare reasons.

“At this time we are still determining the scale of this situation through on-farm sampling and testing, and tracing of movements of stock on and off the properties.

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