Another step down eradication road

CLOSER: The significant moves towards the eradication of M.bovis have gained extra weight with further research into how it can be achieved. Picture supplied

GLOBAL epidemiology consulting company Ausvet and New Zealand’s Working Formula (WF) have been appointed by the M.bovis programme to undertake research to help accelerate the eradication of the cattle disease from New Zealand farms.The Mycoplasma bovis programme involves the Ministry for Primary Industries, DairyNZ, and Beef + Lamb New Zealand.Ausvet and WF specialise in finding disease patterns in populations.“This knowledge will help us understand the risk of spread from different properties at different times,” said Dr John Roche, MPI’s chief science adviser and chairman of the M. bovis Strategic Science Advisory Group (SSAG).“Farms potentially infected with M.bovis are currently prioritised for follow up (casing) using several criteria. Ausvet and WF will investigate if there is anything we can do to improve the current criteria to more effectively prioritise farms at high risk of infection for urgent follow-up.“It’s more critical to apply movement controls on high-risk farms than other properties. “If these farms can be identified and actioned more quickly, it will slow the spread of the disease and speed up eradication.”This will be a short-term research project, based on the analysis of existing data.Ausvet has also been awarded a contract to review the existing M.bovis programme surveillance strategy.“This will identify any areas for development and improvement focused on how to improve our confidence that M.bovis is absent from New Zealand in the future,” Dr Roche said.“The company will also provide training to M.bovis programme epidemiologists, so they can perform the analysis of the surveillance strategy on an ongoing basis as needed. This surveillance is a vital component of New Zealand’s eradication effort.”