Autumn calendar
Good biosecurity practices
Trucks taking live animals from affected farms must not go to unaffected farms.
Farms that are infected, or being tested, are under regulatory controls and they can't move animals off the property without a permit from MPI.
A truck carrying live animals (including bobby calves) from an infected farm:
Calves can contract the disease through direct contact with infected cattle, or by consuming milk from infected cows.
Sharing milk between farms and feeding it to calves is a high-risk activity. Avoid trading raw milk or colostrum if possible. Milk that has the lowest risk of containing M. bovis bacteria comes in 3 forms:
When feeding colostrum to new-born calves take extra care to ensure it is not infected with M. bovis.
Antibiotic dry cow treatment and internal teat sealants need to be administered properly, in a clean environment. Bacterial infection can cause severe mastitis and there’s a risk of M. bovis transmission between cows.
Vets and other contractors coming on to the farm at this time must follow good on-farm biosecurity practices. This includes a “clean on, clean off” policy for all equipment, boots and clothing.
Trucks taking live animals from affected farms must not go to unaffected farms.
Farms that are infected, or being tested, are under regulatory controls and they can't move animals off the property without a permit from MPI.
A truck carrying live animals (including bobby calves) from an infected farm:
Herd testing monitors milk quality and identifies which cows are performing. Ensure herd testers follow good biosecurity practice while on the farm, including a “clean on, clean off” policy.
When buying calves (or any cattle, including bulls) find out the health history of the herd. In particular ask about mastitis and lameness in cows and pneumonia and lameness in calves.
You should ask for assurances that the inside of the truck bringing them onto your farm is thoroughly cleaned before your cattle are loaded. Also require that they’re not mixed in with a split load of other animals destined for another farm.
As we move into late autumn, a number of farmers are planning mating for their herds, using either service bulls or artificial insemination.
Service bulls
Bulls which have been in contact with infected cows and then moved to another herd are a risk for the spread of M. bovis and should arrive on-farm properly identified, with their movement history details and be properly recorded in NAIT.
Make sure you let the vendor or agent know that you expect this. Hold bulls separately from the main herd for at least 7 days to assess their health status, and to complete treatments like drenching.
If you have any concerns about the bull's health, contact your veterinarian before you mix them with the herd.
Artificial insemination
The risk of transmission via imported semen is considered very low, especially after the introduction of a new import health standard last year, but low risk is not the same as no risk. As a precaution, ask your semen supplier for advice on what testing the bull and/or semen has been subjected to.
While MPI assesses the M. bovis introduction risk of bovine semen imported before April 2022 as very low due to required antibiotic treatments, bovine semen imported after that date is subject to improved antibiotic treatments or PCR testing for M. bovis.
As an extra precautionary measure, the Programme will undertake more testing of older imported semen over the next year to improve our understanding of the risks presented by imported bovine semen and help protect the gains we've made to date, with just one farm currently confirmed infected.
If you are planning to use bovine semen that was imported into New Zealand before April 2022, we encourage getting into contact with your supplier to discuss whether that semen has been treated with a specific antibiotic protocol, has been tested, or will be subject to MPI testing.
Antibiotic dry cow treatment and internal teat sealants need to be administered properly, in a clean environment. Bacterial infection can cause severe mastitis and there’s a risk of M. bovis transmission between cows.
Vets and other contractors coming on to the farm at this time must follow good on-farm biosecurity practices. This includes a “clean on, clean off” policy for all equipment, boots and clothing.
Trucks taking live animals from affected farms must not go to unaffected farms.
Farms that are infected, or being tested, are under regulatory controls and they can't move animals off the property without a permit from MPI.
A truck carrying live animals (including bobby calves) from an infected farm:
If you’re selling cattle be prepared to provide potential sellers with information about:
It’s important to have good conversations with your grazier about how biosecurity is going to be managed while animals are off the main farm. Discuss how mobs will be kept separate.
Treat your own animals as new arrivals when they return home after grazing. They should be kept separate for 7 to 10 days. Monitor them for any signs of disease and talk to your vet if you’re concerned.
If the bulls are from a beef property, they are considered a low-risk stock class. If M. bovis test results are unavailable, then the best indicator of the level of risk from these bulls is the health status of the herd(s) they’ve have been running with. Check levels of pneumonia and lameness especially.
If test results show evidence of M. bovis infection, MPI will provide direction for the ongoing management or slaughter of any animals leaving the farm, including bulls. For all bulls, ask questions about the mixing and mingling trading practices on the farm of origin.
When buying calves (or any cattle, including bulls) find out the health history of the herd. In particular ask about mastitis and lameness in cows and pneumonia and lameness in calves.
You should ask for assurances that the inside of the truck bringing them onto your farm is thoroughly cleaned before your cattle are loaded. Also require that they’re not mixed in with a split load of other animals destined for another farm.
