Media release
20 December 2010

Managing bovine TB in drought-affected central North Island

The Animal Health Board (AHB) is encouraging farmers in drought-affected central North Island provinces, including Taranaki, to continue to meet their bovine tuberculosis (TB) testing requirements.

“The recent rain has provided some much-needed relief, but feed is still scarce and animals are being moved to emergency grazing areas,” said Terry Hynes, AHB Southern North Island Regional Co-ordinator.

“During this hectic time, we strongly advise cattle and deer herd owners to carefully manage the TB risks associated with livestock movements.

“Before any stock can be shifted off the farm, herd owners must remember to complete an Animal Status Declaration (ASD) form and ensure they are correctly identified with the official ear tags.

“Herd owners located within Movement Control Areas (MCA) must arrange a TB test before shifting any stock off their property. Herd owners located outside of the MCAs, as is the case with many Taranaki farms, are urged to complete their regular TB test before shifting stock.

“Farmers should also be aware that the TB status of their cattle or deer herd is determined by a whole herd test. If the AHB has not been told prior to the test that there are animals off the farm for reasons such as emergency grazing, a further test may be required.

“Farmers receiving stock for grazing should also be mindful of the risk of introducing TB into their own herd. They need to rigorously check the TB status of livestock entering their property and if the information on the ASD is incomplete or not provided, the animals should not be accepted,” Mr Hynes said.

Herd owners can contact the AHB on 0800 4 TB INFO (0800 4 824 636) to schedule a test, discuss an alternative arrangement or gain more information.

ENDS

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