dfms

Mating results for 2020/2021

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 01:40:57 GMT

The 20/21 season is done and dusted and the Selwyn Rakaia Vet Services team have analysed the reproduction performance results and benchmarked 134 of their Canterbury herds using Infovet.

With an average 6 week in calf rate of 67% across the 134 herds there is a slight improvement from the years before.

The SRVS clinic average empty rate after 9 weeks of mating was 22%, and after 12 weeks of mating was 17%.

The average calving pattern behind these pregnancy rates for 20/21 was:

Calving rate at 3 weeks 6 weeks 9 weeks

Actual (Target) 62% (60%) 84% (87%) 96% (98%)

Looking at the historical data above you can see that on the whole average results over our practice area (and NZ) don’t change much over the years– however within those figures there are a huge range of individual farm results. Some farms are making big gains on their previous performance from some proactive management and interventions.

Generally speaking the herds that have done well have a few things in common…

· They manage body condition score well and minimise BCS loss from calving to mating

· Reproduction intervention (if needed) is done early

· Heat detection is excellent

· Young stock are grown and monitored well

· First calvers are really looked after in their first lactation - they are a big proportion of the herd (20-25%) and are the most vulnerable in a competitive environment.

Achieving a top result, or making an improvement on your result, requires ticking all the boxes in the “In Calf” cake. If you want further help with this talk to your DFMS farm advisor and vet.

A year in review at DFMS.

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 19:59:26 GMT

This year has been an interesting one for most however, for many of our clients, it has been business as usual as farming was deemed an essential service during lockdown.

Although many of you would not been able to enjoy an overseas break, we hope you got to explore parts of our own country and give back to the local economy.

While the beginning of 2020 seems like a million years ago, rain in the autumn, and an exceptionally mild winter allowed for good pasture growth so that in August some farmers were making silage. Although October delivered a cold, cloudy and dry month that may have caused some tight feed conditions, hopefully pasture growth rates on most farms have met cow demand with a good dose of rain in November.

Milk prices have also been positive in 2020, with all milk processors paying in excess of $7.00/kgMS for the 19-20 season. Pricing for the 20-21 season started lower but as we reach the end on the year prices have increased and may yet top the $7.00/kgMS hurdle again.

After a kind winter cows generally calved in good condition and the weather in August for calving couldn’t have been any better. With good pasture feed supplies herds were generally very well fed in early spring which was positive for mating.

Improved mating performance was the goal on many farms this spring and most farmers used more targeted intervention in an attempt to achieve better results. Early indications are that most farms have seen some improvement in in-calf rates, and we will hope that 6-week pregnancy scanning in January will confirm this – touch wood!!!!

Though many of you, DFMS included, submitted on the Government’s Essential Fresh Water Package at the end of last year, farmers in 2020 were delivered a disappointing set of new policies and rules outlined in the NPS-FW and NES-FW. This includes a 190 kg N/ha/yr cap, strict winter grazing requirements and restrictions on intensification of land. Although it is still unclear how these rules will be regulated, be prepared to have to make changes to your farm system. Also consider the potential impacts if looking to buy or lease a new farm. We recommend you do your environmental due diligence prior to purchasing, which DFMS can help you with. DFMS were fortunate to present at the Synlait Lead with Pride Field Day in November around practical ways to reduce N fertiliser rates to below 190 kg N/ha/yr. If you would like to know more about our 190 kg recommendations, see the DFMS Spring 2020 newsletter on our website blog, or contact John or Kirsty via our website.

For those of you also in the OTOP and Waimakariri Zones, the added pressure of Plan Change 7 (PC7) of the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan may also be playing on your mind. This has recently just been through the hearing process and although we must be positive that the commissioners understand the effects these rules may have on farming and rural businesses, it is important to be mindful that these additional regulations may also impact the way we farm in these zones.

A positive for farms that require a FEP audit and nutrient budget, is that plantain has now been added to Overseer. For those who can manage this alternative pasture in their farm system, there are some significant reductions in N loss to be made if utilised in the right way. For more information on how plantain can reduce your N loss in the future, please go to our website blog where Libby Ruddenklau has carried out some modelling on our Canterbury model farm.

With all that said, we at DFMS feel it has been a successful year for farming, with the additional benefit of many New Zealanders recognising that agriculture is a major contributor to our economy, especially when other sectors have not been so successful this year. From all of us at DFMS, we wish a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our customers and associates.

Season to Date

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT

A Spring of Two Halves

Following an exceptional winter and a very good start to spring, conditions of late have been decidedly average. Cold, dry and a genuine lack of sunshine generally typifies the current climatic condition in Canterbury, dampening what is otherwise a very good season to date. Recent rainfall in most areas has alleviated the dry conditions, all be it momentarily, but slow and inconsistent pasture growth rates continue to cause tight feed conditions on most farms.

Delayed Balance Date

There will be very few, if any, Canterbury dairy farms whose pasture growth rate has consistently met cow demand yet this season. This has seen supplement continue to be fed, waiting for the cloud to clear, the sun come out and the days to warm up. It is crucial to continue to fully feed cows through this period with the highest possible quality feed leading up to peak production and the start of mating.

Fully feeding the herd at present will require a relatively high level of supplement being fed on most farms. If available, target a reasonable level of in-shed feeding (2-3 kg) as this will have lower wastage and generally greater and more consistent energy levels. When feeding silage be sure it has been tested and feed the best quality (ME, CP % digestibility) available. Too often I see silage poorly feed out in the paddock resulting in poor utilisation, high wastage and ultimately higher cost.

With most farms now well into the second-round, crude protein in pastures is not limiting. A pasture sample at this time of year can be a good idea just to check this and monitor energy and macro/micro nutrient levels. Also broadly monitoring protein %, Protein: Fat ratio and Milk Urea levels can be useful with assessing base dietary intake factors.

Round Length.

On many farms pasture quality is generally very good with pre-grazing covers often lower than target, and equally, cows comfortably hitting post grazing residual targets. Resist the temptation to go too fast too soon at the moment. Keep that supplement in to fully feed the herd, but be ready to adjust as things will change quickly when they do. As always, regular monitoring of pasture cover and pasture growth rate is key, at least once a week.

Just around the corner… Mating

Along with improved growth rates … mating is also just around the corner. While planning for mating has already been done, and some early intervention strategies (OAD milking, early CIDRs) are already in place and underway, now is still a good time just to review, and re-check that everything is covered off and in place. Talk to our team if you have any questions or would like a visit to discuss your farms strategies and planning.

Salmonellosis in Dairy Cattle

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 19:44:14 GMT

Salmonellosis is a bacterial infection that occurs commonly across New Zealand. The disease causes a range of symptoms including diarrhoea, abortions, general ill thrift, and death in severe cases. The main cause of Salmonella outbreaks we have seen in previous years in Canterbury is Salmonella Brandenburg. Salmonella Brandenburg usually causes outbreaks of abortions and general sickness, especially in first calvers. This year the disease laboratories have noticed an increase in Salmonella Bovis morbificans and some cases of Salmonella Typhimuriam which tend to cause more gut issues.

The Salmonella bacteria are present in the faeces of healthy animals and do not always cause disease. Faeces are likely the largest source of the disease, but infected material such as the placenta and foetus from abortions are also a source. The bacteria can also be spread from farm to farm via wildlife, usually birds and vermin.

Significant disease usually occurs when an animal or group of animals are under significant stress (e.g. calving, severe weather, poor nutrition/trace element supplementation etc.) and their immune system is put under pressure. This drop in immunity combined with ingestion of the Salmonella organism results in clinical disease.

Outbreaks can be severe at times. For first calving heifers there have been reports of up to 35% of the animals aborting and up to a 5% mortality rate. Treatment involves supportive care, primarily aimed at rehydrating the animal and aiding them in fighting the initial infection. Treatment can be effective if initiated early, but it is very costly in terms of time, effort, drugs, and production loss/loss of the pregnancy. Salmonella is also a zoonotic disease (can infect humans) and becomes a significant health and safety issue during an outbreak.

As with any disease, prevention is the best option for Salmonella. As it is naturally present in healthy animals and the bacteria can live for months in pasture, the best choice we currently have for prevention is vaccination. Salvexin + B is a very cost-effective vaccine and gives protection against all three of the Salmonella types mentioned above. We recommend vaccinating all calves at 4-6 weeks old with an initial injection plus a booster, and then this can be followed up with an annual booster vaccination in May. Any naïve yearlings/R2s/adult cattle will also require two initial injections followed up by an annual booster in May (pre dry-off for milking cows).

Salmonella is a significant animal health issue in Canterbury dairy farms and severe outbreaks do occur every year. By minimising stress on your cattle, employing good biosecurity practices, having effective effluent management, and vaccinating all cattle on your property you will significantly reduce the risk of an outbreak. Please give us a call at the clinic if you have any questions and would like to learn more about management of the disease.

Selywn Rakaia Vet Services

http://www.srvets.co.nz/

Ph: 03 325 4444

Increasing controls on antibiotic usage

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 23:09:50 GMT

Increasing controls on antibiotic usage

“Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today.” World Health Organisation

There is increasing international concern about antibiotic resistance. The World Health Organisation (WHO) link below summarises the situation.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antibiotic-resistance

Antibiotics are used widely in intensive animal farming systems in many countries. In some countries large quantities are used as feed additives especially in feedlots and the pig and poultry industries.

New Zealand’s more extensive farming systems means we are one of the lowest users of antibiotics in livestock production when measured as mg of antibiotic per kg of livestock. We can always do better, hence the drive to further reduce our use of antibiotics.

Some suggestions from the WHO website which are relevant to New Zealand:

-Only give antibiotics to animals under veterinary supervision.

-Not use antibiotics for growth promotion or to prevent diseases in healthy animals.

-Vaccinate animals to reduce the need for antibiotics and use alternatives to antibiotics when available.

-Promote and apply good practices at all steps of production and processing of foods from animal and plant sources.

-Improve biosecurity on farms and prevent infections through improved hygiene and animal welfare.

For specific questions around reducing the use of antibiotics on your farm speak with your vet.

Action for Healthy Waterways

Sat, 20 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMT

What is it all about?

In late 2019, the Government outlined the much-anticipated proposed changes to our national freshwater management framework that were announced last year. DFMS, along with approximately 17,500 others, created a submission which included views similar to DairyNZ and other industry good bodies in the agricultural sector.

Last week the Action for Healthy Waterways Package was released by the Government aimed at managing the health of freshwater in New Zealand and improving environmental practices where needed. Within this Package, more than $700 million has been given in funding to help farmers, iwi/Māori, local government, and communities implement the reform measures.

How could this affect me?

The following summary gives you the main points on what is required as a pastoral dairy/dairy support farm in Canterbury that already has a Farm Environment Plan under the new Action for Healthy Waterways Rules from now to 2025:

Excluding stock from waterways

· Cattle must be excluded from waterways more than 1 m wide from July 2025. Any new fencing that is required to achieve this must be more than 3 m back from the waterway.

· This means existing permanent fences will not have to be moved under the new regulations.

· In addition, cattle will be prohibited from crossing waterbodies more than twice per month unless they cross by way of a dedicated culvert or bridge.

· The regulations will not apply to smaller streams (less than one metre wide), sheep, lower-intensity, hill country farming, or where stock exclusion is impractical due to the physical characteristics of the land or where there are natural barriers keeping stock out of waterways.

Nitrogen Cap

· All pastoral farmers will have to keep synthetic nitrogen fertiliser use below 190 kg N/ha/year by the 2021/22 season or apply for a resource consent.

· From July 2021, all dairy farmers will need to record the tonnages of fertiliser applied and the area it was applied to, this must be reported to the regional council in the year ending 30 June 2022.

· The new cap will apply to fertiliser such as urea, diammonium phosphate (DAP), ammonium sulphate and blends.

· It does NOT include nitrogen sources such as legumes, compost, composted or raw manures, farm-dairy effluent, or blood and bone.

Winter grazing

From winter 2021, you will require a resource consent to graze stock on forage crops if:

· Your paddock is more than 10-degrees in slope.

· The area being planted is either; more than 50 ha or; 10 per cent of the property (whichever is the larger).

· The crop is less than five metres from a waterway.

To continue winter grazing you must also follow Good management practices which can be found on the following website: https://www.dairynz.co.nz/feed/crops/wintering-cows-on-crops/grazing-the-winter-crop/

Intensification

From mid-2020 until the end of 2024, you will require a resource consent to intensify using the following practices:

· Increase irrigation by more than 10 ha;

· Increase forage crop area to above the highest annual amount in the 2014/15–2018/19 seasons

· Increase dairy support activities to above the highest annual amount in the 2014/15–2018/19 seasons

· Convert to a higher intensity land use (such as from sheep and beef farming to dairy farming or forestry into pastoral farming).

Feed pads and stand off pads

Existing feed pads and stand off pads are required to meet minimum standards which include:

· Managing the permeability of the base area so that it is sealed to a minimum permeability standard.

· Collecting, storing and disposing effluent according to regional council regulations or a current discharge permit.

· Situating the stock-holding area at least 50 m away from waterbodies, water abstraction bores, drainage ditches and coastal marine areas.

From winter 2021, you will require a resource consent to add a feed pad, stand-off pad or feed lot on your property (from mid 2021) if it does not meet minimum standards. This does not include wintering barns, milking sheds, sacrifice paddocks, stock yards or calf pens.

Wetlands and streams

· Any wetlands (identified in council plans) and streams are required to be excluded from livestock.

· No draining or development of wetlands or streams is allowed on farms, except in very limited circumstances, starting from mid-2020.

· Work on wetlands for restoration or cultural purposes (including scientific and research) can be completed as long as the effects are no more than minor. However, to put in new structures, or make more than minor changes, a resource consent is required.

· Streams (in urban and rural areas) must not be filled in unless there is no other option and to shift the course of a stream will require a resource consent from the regional council.

Water Usage

· If you have an existing resource consent for irrigation, you will need to measure and report your use electronically using a system to measure water use every 15 minutes and provide electronic records to the regional council daily.

· The introduction of this requirement is being staggered: You must comply within:

- Two years if your consent is to take more than 20 litres per second

- Four years for consents to take between 10 and 20 litres per second

- Six years for consents to take five litres/second or more, but less than 10 litres/second.

What can I do?

You have a year to adjust your farming system to meet most of the requirements. Therefore, talk to one of our consultants at DFMS today or industry representative about how to achieve these restrictions without hindering your farming business .

More information please!

For more information please visit: https://www.mfe.govt.nz/sites/default/files/media/Fresh%20water/action-for-healthy-waterways-information-for-dairy-farmers.pdf

Do you have a wetland on your property?

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 02:12:53 GMT

Environment Canterbury have recently released a potential wetlands map using a mixture of aerial and ground surveys. To see if you have a potential wetland on your property give DFMS a call on 027 465 2803 or go to https://mapviewer.canterburymaps.govt.nz/ , search for your property and add ‘Canterbury Wetlands GIS Layer’ under ‘add data’.

If you have a potential wetland mapped on your farm, this can be surveyed by Environment Canterbury free of charge to confirm whether it is or is not a wetland. If you do not have a wetland on your property this can be removed from the database. If you do have a wetland on your property, certain rules apply if you want to undertake work that may affect that wetland. However, this is not an immediate ‘stop signal’, but a gateway to a planning process that Environment Canterbury will work through with you.

For more information on potential wetlands give Kirsty a call on 027 465 2803.

Dairying on the Up?

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 02:12:45 GMT

It's been a tough few years for dairy farmers so it is encouraging to be finishing 2019 on a more positive note.

It's been a tough few years for dairy farmers so it is encouraging to be finishing 2019 on a more positive note.
With the milk price approaching an all time high, Fonterra's performance improving, and interest rates at all time lows, dairy farmers may be forgiven for celebrating a bit harder this Christmas. This is a marked contrast to the situation in recent years – with low milk prices and slow price recovery; poor performance by Fonterra including deferment of dividend payments; and significant public criticism of the way we farm.
We may all be able to take a breather over Christmas and the summer break, but ongoing change to our dairy farming systems will be required over the next few years to achieve our mandate to farm.
This year has seen Government legislation and proposals relating to freshwater, greenhouse gas emmissions, winter grazing, indigenous biodiversity, high quality soils; as well as proposals by the Reserve Bank to impose higher cash reserve standards on our banks, which will likely result in higher interest rates.
These reforms will be challenging for all farmers and for some may prompt a change of direction. Most dairy farmers will find a way through the maze of legislation.
Those of us with a few gray hairs will recall we have been in a similar place before. The Government reforms of the 1980's pushed agriculture to its knees and the sector was tagged as a “sunset” industry. Despite this, agriculture - and dairy farming in particular, bounced back to remain a key component of the economy.
Dairying has had to adapt and change to survive and it can continue to do so.
It will do this because it is still attracting smart young people who are to meet the challenges they are facing.
I have had the opportunity again this year to meet and work with a number of these people, ranging from farm owners, equity partners, sharemilkers, farm managers, farm auditors, environmental consultants, field reps, to bankers and students. These young people intend to make their careers in the dairy sector – they recognised the challenges facing the sector, but also see dairying as a long term opportunity.
This gives me confidence that the dairy industry will not only survive, but prosper.
I for one will be celebrating our success this festive season. Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2020 from DFMS.

Green House Gas (GHG) Update

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 12:36:03 GMT

The Zero Carbon Bill, passed unopposed, mean carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N20) emissions must be reduced to net zero (CO2 and N2O emissions are reduced 100%) by 2050. What does this mean for your property?

In November, the Zero Carbon Bill was passed unopposed, meaning carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N20) emissions must be reduced to net zero (CO2 and N2O emissions are reduced 100%) by 2050.

In addition, methane (CH4) must be reduced by 10% below 2017 levels by 2030 and 24-47% below 2017 levels by 2050.

The ag sector have been given 5 years to figure out how it will achieve this. It is suspected the sector will introduce a green house gas (GHG) levy and rebate scheme on farm products where low emitters would be rewarded, and high emitters will be penalised. If reductions have not been implemented by 2025, agriculture will come into The NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

There are a series of current mitigation options to reduce CO2 and N2O emissions which are similar to reducing nitrate leaching. They include:

Increased animal efficiency and improving pasture quality e.g. feeding high quality/energy feeds which allows stock to lower their overall animal intake whilst producing the same amount of product.
Reducing stocking rates while maintaining production e.g. if farmers can reduce stocking rate in conjunction with improving performance and removing non-productive animals, they can reduce total emissions. The key is that feed consumed on a whole-farm basis needs to reduce, or total GHGs will not reduce.
Optimising nitrogen fertiliser e.g. applying less fertiliser, more often and at times of year that give maximum return for growth.
Forestry
Low emission feeds e.g. plantain has shown to reduce N2O emissions in the urine patch, forage rape, fodder beet and maize silage have shown to lower N2O. In addition, many supplementary feeds for example grain, contain less nitrogen than normal pastures and can help reduce nitrous oxide emissions on farm.
Managing effluent on farm e.g. farmers could spread effluent to a larger area of the farm to reduce the concentration of nitrogen applied. In addition, less nitrogen fertiliser could be applied on the effluent blocks.
Future mitigation options include low CH4 breeding animals, a nitrification/urease inhibitors, methane inhibitors (and a vaccine) and GM ryegrass.

If you are interested in discussing these mitigation options further including how some of these mitigations may fit into your farm system, give us a call.

STOP PRESS! Land and Water Regional Plan, plan change 5 is operative on 1st February 2019!

Thu, 24 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

What does this mean for you?

1. Do you have a Farm Environment Plan (FEP) that includes Mahinga kai values?

If not you will need to update your FEP. If you have a Sustainable Milk Plan FEP this is NOT compliant with PC5 rules.

> For more information go to https://www.canterburywater.farm/fep/ .

2. Do you farm in an area that is subject the Land and Water Regional Plan?

All farmers in Canterbury need to operate within the PC5 rules, unless you are in the following catchments:

- Hurunui and Waiau

- Selwyn Te Waihora

- Hinds Plains

- South Canterbury Coastal Streams

If your farm outside the above catchments, you may require a resource consent.

Do you have irrigation greater than 50 ha?

YES > You require a Farming Land Use Consent.

Do you have winter grazing greater than:

- 10ha, for any property less than 100ha in area

- 10% of the area, for any property between 100ha and 1000ha

- 100ha, for any property greater than 1000ha

YES > You require a Farming Land Use Consent.

> For more information go to https://www.dairynz.co.nz/environment/in-your-region/canterbury-environmental-rules/ .

3. If your farm is subject to the Land and Water Regional plan and you have a resource consent - has it been run through the ECan Farm Portal?

NO > Your N Baseline is required to be run through the “Farm Portal” and you are required to achieve the “Baseline GMP loss rate” by 2020.

> For more information go to https://farmportal.ecan.govt.nz/home .

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

OverseerFM will be available under subscription from 11 February 2019.

The subscription will be $200 plus GST per year per farm account.

Farmers have until June 2019 to update any nutrient management plans they have in Overseer. If your nutrient budget has not been updated to the latest version of Overseer (Versions 6.2.3 or 6.3.0) this budget will no longer be available to use in Overseer. This is a priority for you as earlier files will be obsolete and unable to be accessed after June 2019.

For more information please got to: https://www.overseer.org.nz/overseerfm .

We’re here to help!

- We can update your FEP

- Help you with your land use consent

- Run your fam through the ECan Portal to let you know what your GMP number is and how much you must reduce by.

- Upload your nutrient budgets to the latest OverseerFM version.

Kirsty Martin - 027 465 2803 Kirsty@dfms.co.nz

Dave Ashby - 027 450 2934 Dave@darcl.nz

DFMS Newsletter #1

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Merry Christmas from DFMS and get to know a little more about us.Merry Christmas from DFMS and get to know a little more about us.

Welcome to our newsletter!!
The aim of this newsletter is to provide you with industry specific news and information.
If you have questions or topics you would like to see discussed, please email us at admin@dfms.co.nz.

In this newsletter we have articles about strategic and sucession planning, an introduction to the consultant team and an update from Kirsty Martin our environmental consultant.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL NEWSLETTER HERE

Waimakariri Water Zone Committee – Draft Zone Implementation Programme Addendum (Draft ZIPA)

Wed, 03 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Background

The Waimakariri Water Zone Committee, made up of local residents, have put forward a Draft ZIPA with recommendations of how nutrients should be managed in the catchment to improve water quality in a sustainable way.
The Draft ZIPA will go to ECAN who will consider the recommendations but ultimately decide the Sub-regional plan for this catchment. Therefore, please be aware that the farming targets outlined below from the Draft ZIPA may change once the Waimakariri sub-regional plan is confirmed. This is expected to be in 2021.

What does the Draft ZIPA mean for farmers?

The zone committee have split the catchment into two main areas shown in Figure 1. These are defined as:
1. Nitrate Priority Management Area, which encapsulates land where special measures are required to manage nitrate as the first priority;
2. Runoff Priority Management Area, where sediment, phosphorus and/or E. coli. are likely to be having a greater overall adverse impact than nitrate and hence careful management of runoff is top priority.

Download the full BLOG PDF by clicking here for all the information with Maps and graphs

Mycoplasma bovis disease, infection, or an organism of little consequence?

Wed, 18 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The government and industry funded phased eradication program for M. bovis is underway. This program could take up to 10 years to achieve eradication if it succeeds. If unsuccessful we will continue farming with M. bovis on NZ farms. At present we cannot be sure how widespread M. bovis is and so investigations are continuing. This includes further bulk milk testing from dairy farms and tonsillar swabs collected from beef cattle in the meat works. This means we are now farming with M. bovis in NZ at least for the foreseeable future.

How do we recognise M bovis disease and how severe could it be?

Almost all infected properties in NZ have not seen any clinical disease. This is good news and not surprising as bacteria typically only cause disease when animals are stressed or immunocompromised. We need to continue ensuring our herds are looked after to a high standard of animal husbandry, minimising the chance of M. bovis and other infectious diseases.

When clinical signs due to M. bovis are present in cows these are most likely to be severe lameness with swollen joints and severe multi-quarter mastitis. The disease in calves presents as ill-thrift, respiratory disease and lameness. Some calves may have a head tilt.

M. bovis is still a notifiable disease so if farmers see cattle with these signs they have an obligation to seek veterinary advice. The disease can only be confirmed with the appropriate laboratory diagnostic tests which are completed by MPI at no cost to the herd owner.

Do we need to consider changes to NZ farm systems now we have M. bovis?

Calf rearing (waste milk management)

Waste milk is likely to be contaminated with M. bovis on infected properties. If M. bovis becomes endemic in New Zealand infected herds will need to consider acidifying or pasteurising waste milk to stop spread to young calves. In herds that are free of M bovis we recommend continuing with your usual systems for handling waste milk. In most cases this will involve feeding this milk to older calves on the farm of origin. While some uncertainty still exists around the distribution of M bovis, waste milk should remain on the farm of origin and not be sold to calf rearing operations off farm.

Grazing off farm

Off farm grazing with groups of animals from multiple farms is a way to spread M. bovis. If you want to avoid bringing M bovis and other pathogens into your herd this practice should be carefully considered. You may want to do some due diligence

on the in-contact animal groups and a biosecurity assessment of the grazing property.

Milking cows

The best way to minimise the risk of clinical disease in an infected herd is through good stock husbandry practices e.g. fully feeding cows, optimal herd health programs and minimising stress and overcrowding. This is particularly important if using housed systems which are believed to be an added risk factor for developing M. bovis disease.

Bulls

Bulls present a special risk for spreading M. bovis with the added risk of venereal spread. In the current environment you may want to consider a mating program without the use of bulls. The currently available tests cannot guarantee a bull or group of bulls is free of Mycoplasma. Synchronisation programs can make this easier but come with extra costs. Talk over the options with your advisors or vet.

Biosecurity

A high level of biosecurity is difficult under our farming systems however you may want to use the Dairy NZ biosecurity WOF template to check your farm and herd biosecurity. Discuss any questions around biosecurity with your vet or advisors.

Disease prevention

M. bovis disease is often more severe in the presence of other diseases, particularly BVD virus which is very damaging to the immune system of the calf and cow. You may want to review your overall herd animal health plan with your vet.

Buying in stock

Purchased stock is the most likely way to bring in M. bovis and other pathogens. If this cannot be avoided gather as much information on the herd of origin as possible to help give you confidence the animals are healthy. The laboratory tests at this stage cannot guarantee freedom from M. bovis.

M. bovis is now present in every country except Norway. It has no human health or trade implications and is generally not considered a very significant pathogen compared to other micro-organisms that can affect cattle. The New Zealand strain of M. bovis is one that has not been recorded elsewhere although it has some genetic similarities to European and American strain types. This is one of the reasons our government has decided to attempt eradication, something that has never been attempted before.

The number of animals with disease symptoms in NZ has only been a tiny fraction of the number exposed and this is also typical of M. bovis overseas. The clinical disease in cows on the VLG farms near Waimate where M. bovis was discovered was very severe. This type of severe scenario has also been seen overseas although is not the typical presentation in infected herds.

As time goes on we will discover whether M. bovis in NZ is really a significant disease, a sub-clinical infection or just another bacterial organism of little consequence.

Donald

Donald Arthur – BVSc, Dip A ACVP

Practise Owner at Selwyn Rakaia Vet Services Limited