7 Jun 2018

M bovis count adds up with Wairarapa farm infection

3:39 pm on 7 June 2018

A sheep and beef farm in Wairarapa has tested positive for the devastating cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis.

Cow on farm. (File photo)

Biosecurity New Zealand says Mycoplasma bovis has been found on a property in Wairarapa. Photo: 123rf

Biosecurity New Zealand said the farm near Masterton was located through the tracing of animal movements from other affected farms.

The property is under legal controls restricting the movement of animals and other risk goods off the farm.

All cattle on the farm will ultimately be killed.

This brings the total number of currently infected properties nationwide to 36.

Last week, the government and the farming sector opted to try to eradicate the disease, at a cost of about $886 million.

In total 46 farms have been identified since the problem was disovered last July, but 10 have since been cleaned up and cleared of the disease.

Mycoplasma bovis can cause lameness, abortions and mastitis in cows, but there is no risk to human health from the infection.

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