Eight farms in a high-risk area of Mid Canterbury will be depopulated as the Mycoplasma bovis programme continues work to eradicate the disease.
The programme is targeting the sole pocket of confirmed infection with depopulation starting at the ANZCO Mid Canterbury feedlot and strict new biosecurity measures for the surrounding area, programme director Simon Andrew said.
“Our nationwide testing programme tells us that M bovis infection is currently believed to be isolated to a small area in Mid Canterbury, where there are infected properties, including the feedlot.
“We are working hard to investigate the exact transmission route, but at present that remains unclear.
“Without a precise understanding of why this is happening, we need to take a different approach to protect cattle and farmers in the area.
Andrew said the M bovis Programme, alongside industry partners DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand, will:
• Work with the feedlot’s owners, ANZCO, to start progressive depopulation of the property from October 13.
• To coincide with that depopulation, a Controlled Area Notice (CAN) will be introduced for the Wakanui area, affecting 14 cattle farms (three of these properties are owned by ANZCO). The CAN map is available on the M bovis Programme’s website.
• As part of the CAN, all properties in the high-risk area will be depopulated by mid-January 2023.
• A of testing and census will be carried out for farms in the low-risk area of the CAN .
“We acknowledge the role local farmers have played in helping us continue to better understand the situation, and to bolster this, we are bringing in extra technical advice,” Andrew said.
“The CAN steps up the already tight controls in the area as we think it’s important to take all possible steps to ensure this pocket of infection is contained and the progressive depopulation of the feedlot successful,” Andrew said.
The programme partners will work closely with affected farmers and compensation will be provided where required.
“We know the CAN will be extremely challenging and disruptive for a small number of farmers in the area and we will support them through this process,” Andrew said.
