Professor Keith Woodford. Photo / Supplied
A recent article written by Professor Keith Woodford suggests that it will be difficult to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis, as the cattle disease has been in New Zealand for much longer than originally thought.
Professor Woodford, an honorary professor of Agri-food Systems at Lincoln University, spoke to The Country's Jamie Mackay,
saying he has evidence - but not proof - that M. bovis may have been here since 2008.
"The 2008 example is where some animals went from one part of the South Island to another part of the South Island, and then had huge mastitis problems ... and those animals had to be culled. They also had some very severe lameness issues."
"Talking to the people who were involved ... it just sounds very, very much like Mycoplasma bovis."
Woodford says the animals affected then went to a third part of the South Island, "what I'm saying is, that there's enough evidence there that MPI need to be putting a lot of effort into tracking it down."
