$14,000 fine for not registering 295 deer
A farmer who failed to register 295 deer into the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme has been fined $13,750.
LESS THAN one year remains to ensure all cattle – even those born before NAIT became mandatory in July 2012 – are suitably tagged and registered with the national database operator.
Cattle born since July 2012 must be tagged within six months of birth, or before they are moved off farm, whichever comes first, NAIT said in a reminder notice circulated earlier this month.
"We recommend farmers tag animals at the earliest possible time after birth," said acting farm operations manager Dan Schofield. "For best tag retention animals should be tagged in the inner part of the ear between the two veins."
They should also be registered with NAIT within one week of tagging, or before they leave the property, whichever is sooner.
Schofield says stock born before July 2012 considered too dangerous to tag should be slaughtered before July 2015.
"These animals must already have a TBfree New Zealand bar-coded primary ear tag to be eligible and the impractical-to-tag levy will apply."
Consultation reviewing the impractical-to-tag levy, scheduled to end July 2015, is underway.
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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.
Dairy
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Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.