Listen: Mycoplasma bovis - NAIT recommendations backed

A review of the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) programme has found that a lack of accurate records for animal movements had complicated, and slowed response efforts to the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak.

DairyNZ supports the report's recommendations says CEO Dr Tim Mackle in an interview with The Country's Rowena Duncum.

Dr Mackle understands how sometimes NAIT records haven't always "been a priority in the farming sector."

"Some [farmers] have kept excellent records...for others though it hasn't always been a high priority amongst all the other hundreds of jobs that have to be done and at the same time the system itself needs improvements too."

There have been changes to animal welfare and employment law which farmers will have to be aware of says Dr Mackle.

Employment changes include increasing the minimum wage and training minimum wage which plays an important part in improving work place conditions says Dr Mackle.

"We've got to continue to improve work places to lift the standards, to attract good employment."

As for animal welfare changes, Dr Mackle says many of the regulations are already covered by New Zealand farmers.

"Many dairy farmers are already meeting these regulations now which is a positive aspect to it, but for others we need to see improvement as well."

Animal welfare regulation changes can be found on DairyNZ's website here.