Spring calendar
Good biosecurity practices
Same events as July and August, plus:
Be prepared for visitors to the farm, such as disbudding contractors, with spare gumboots and overalls.
A disinfection station for boots when people enter and leave your property can be helpful, too. A “clean on, clean off” policy for visitors and their gear minimises risk of infection between farms.
As the weather warms up, older calves are ready to go outside the shed and the twice-daily milk schedule is cut down to once a day. This is a stressful time when M. bovis bacteria may be shed. It’s also a time when calves often get mixed with other cattle, perhaps being sold on or new calves coming onto the farm.
This means a high-risk of infection. Make sure your calves don’t mix with calves from other farms unless you’re certain the stock they’re mixing with don’t have M. bovis.
Bulls which have been in contact with infected cows are a risk for the spread of M. bovis. Bulls should arrive on a farm properly identified and with movement history details. Let your 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 procedures such as drenching. If you have any concerns about their health, contact your vet before you mix bulls with the herd.
Bulls should arrive on a farm properly identified and with their movement history details. Tell your vendor or agent that you expect this.
If bulls are leased, talk over the options with the owner about what happens once mating finishes. R2 bulls that you won’t use again should go directly to slaughter. R1 bulls may be a risk for the spread of infection. The best indicator of the level of risk from these bulls is the health status of the herd the bulls have been running with.
Bulls from a beef property are a low-risk stock class. If M. bovis test results are unavailable, then the best indicator of the level of risk from these bulls remains the health status of the herd(s) the bulls have been running with – especially levels of pneumonia and lameness. If test results show evidence of 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.
Same events as September, plus:
Farm contractors cut hay, make silage and baleage, and lay the ground work for maize sowing. On-farm biosecurity practices including a “clean on, clean off” policy for visitors and equipment minimises risk of infection.
Silage or baleage is extremely unlikely to spread M. bovis. It may be fed as usual or transferred off the farm for sale.
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.
Service bulls
Bulls that have been in contact with infected cows and then moved to another herd are a risk for the spread of M. bovis.
Bulls should arrive properly identified and with their movement history details. Tell your vendor or agent that you expect this. Hold bulls separately from the main herd for at least 7 days to assess their health status, and to complete procedures like drenching.
If you have any concerns about the bulls’ health, contact your veterinarian before you mix them with the herd.
Imported semen
The risk of transmission via semen is considered very low – especially after the introduction of the new Import Health Standard (IHS) in May 2022 – but low risk is not the same as no risk. As a precaution, we encourage farmers to:
Same events as October, plus:
This is a stressful time for calves. If an animal is infected with M. bovis the disease may appear at this time. Clinical signs in calves include severe pneumonia, arthritis, ear infections and conjunctivitis.
Once weaned, calves may move to another property such as a calf rearer. This is a high-risk time.
Protect calves from exposure to M. bovis by preventing nose-to-nose contact with cattle from other sources.
Discuss this with everyone involved in the transport and care of your calves once they leave the home farm:
If your calves are being grazed on a property with cattle from other sources, make sure they are completely prevented from coming into contact with them.
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.
Bulls should arrive properly identified and with their movement history details. 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 procedures like drenching.
If you have any concerns about the bulls’ health, contact your veterinarian before you mix them with the herd.
Imported semen
The risk of transmission via semen is considered very low – especially after the introduction of the new Import Health Standard (IHS) in May 2022 – but low risk is not the same as no risk. As a precaution, we encourage farmers to:
