If the 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 straight 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.

If you’re sending weaned calves to grazing or sales, protect them 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:

• Ask your transporter to avoid mixing your calves with other cattle in holding yards or on the truck.
• Make sure all your calves have NAIT tags in their ears and promptly record all movements. Be prepared to provide this information to people buying your calves.
• 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.

• Transporting stock and calves at grazing (avoid mingling)

If the 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 straight 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.

M. bovis can cause untreatable mastitis in dairy and beef cows. Contact your vet if stock show unusual levels of mastitis. Signs to look out for include swollen (multiple) quarters, but not painful or hot, and cow is non-responsive to treatment.

If moving stock or feeding intensively due to drought, it’s important to avoid mixing with herds who could be infected with M. bovis.

Silage or baleage is extremely unlikely to spread M. bovis. During this time it may be fed as usual or transferred off the farm for sale.

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.

• Movement of stock.
• Farmers on holiday. Make sure relief staff know the signs to watch for (such as unusual levels of mastitis, abortions or present with arthritis or pneumonia).
• Mastitis (signs to look out for include swollen (multiple) quarters, but not painful or hot, and cow is non-responsive to treatment. Contact your vet if you’re concerned about unusual signs).
• Questions around M. bovis in feed.

Trucks taking live animals from affected farms must not go to unaffected farms. Farms that are infected, or being tested, are under regulatory controls. 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:

• must go directly to the processing plant
• may, if permitted, pick up animals from other farms under controls, but not from unaffected farms
• must be thoroughly cleaned at the plant after unloading the animals
• can't visit other unaffected farms unless it’s been cleaned.

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.