Maintaining secure boundaries is essential to managing on-farm biosecurity risks like Mycoplasma bovis. These tips for good on-farm biosecurity practice will help limit the spread of other diseases as well.

Fencing and gates
Robust fencing and gates are vital to containing your animals and the spread of disease.

To achieve the best result, we encourage you to:
•    Regularly check your boundary fences and gates are secure, and in good repair.
•    Have one main entrance to your property to manage visitors.
•    Place a clear “visitors” sign at the main gate directing people to remain in their vehicle       on the main track, stating who to call if they aren’t expected.
•    Close gates when not in use to avoid animals from different herds mixing.
•    Check gate latches are secure to prevent them being unintentionally opened. 
•    Create 2 metre buffer zones along all fence lines – including roadways and lanes – to         prevent nose-to-nose cattle contact between neighbouring properties. 
•    For more information, check out possible risk pathways for disease on this
     interactive farm map.

Roadways and lanes
The main biosecurity risk when using lanes and roadways to move your animals is cattle on the other side of fences.

To minimise the risk of nose-to-nose contact with other cattle:
•    Plan with neighbours around:
      o    Fencing
      o    Buffer zones
      o    Movement of cattle
      o    Use of shared yards.
•    Maintain a 2-metre buffer zone between all groups of cattle being moved.

For more information, visit:
•    Avoiding Mycoplasma bovis infection Good Biosecurity practices (mbovis.govt.nz)
•    Virtual fences in bull beef business (beeflambnz.com)
•    Biosecurity Planner (DairyNZ.co.nz)