Cattle Disease Outbreak Discovered on Canterbury Dairy Farm

NEW ZEALAND - A South Canterbury dairy farm is in lockdown, after a cattle disease made its way to New Zealand's shores.
calendar icon 25 July 2017
clock icon 1 minute read

Newshub reports that 14 cows have tested positive for mycoplasma bovis, and are the first to have the disease in New Zealand, while a further 150 cows on the property have signs of infection.

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director of response, Geoff Gwyn, says they don't know how or when the disease entered the country, after confirming it on 22 July.

Mr Gwyn said the disease poses no risk to humans or food safety and there is no concern about consuming milk products.

MPI is working with the farmer to contain the disease to the affected farm and treat the animals showing symptoms.

Mr Gwyn says legal restrictions are in place to stop any movement of stock from the property.

Mycoplasma bovis is a bacterial disease in cattle that causes udder infection, abortion, pneumonia and arthritis.

It is commonly found in cattle globally, including in Australia.

TheCattleSite News Desk

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