Eradication of Mycoplasma bovis 'viable option' says Damien O'Connor

Nationwide testing for cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis has started. Photo / Supplied to the NZ Herald by Dairy NZ

Eradication of the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis is "a viable option" after initial results of milk testing from all producing dairy farms, says Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor.

"Tests have been completed on the tanker milk from 9100 dairy farms without a positive detection, the remaining tests will be completed next week," he said.

"This is a good result and gives us confidence we are on the right track as we hunt down this disease."

Mr O'Connor said there was still a big job to do to determine the extent of the spread.

"To date a vast web of some 1500 farms has been connected from animal movements, and more than 85,000 samples from at-risk herds have been tested," he said.

"Clearly, most of these farms have been ruled out from having the disease but the task is intensive."

Mycoplasma bovis, a bacterial disease, is commonly found in cattle globally, including Australia. It does not infect humans and is not a food safety risk, but can have serious effects on cattle, including mastitis, pneumonia, arthritis and late-term abortions. It was first detected in a dairy herd in South Canterbury last year and has since been confirmed on 23 properties, from Hawke's Bay in the North Island, down to Canterbury, Otago and Southland. All the properties have been quarantined.