The National Surveillance Programme for Mycoplasma bovis is in its final stages with around 30,000 tests completed around the country.
Fonterra's Head of Farm Source Central Districts, Jason Boyle spoke to The Country Early Edition's Rowena Duncum, saying the Surveillance Programme is a "massive feat."
"From those 30,000 only one
property so far has been confirmed to have the disease so that brings us to a total of 28 [properties] and a total of 48 farms placed under restricted place notice meaning they can't move their cattle until more testing is carried out to confirm their status."
Over 22,000 cows will be culled to stop the spread of the disease, a move that will "obviously [have] a massive impact on our farmers," says Boyle and that "under the Biosecurity Act, MPI will work with farmers regarding the compensation for the cows culled."
It is still unclear how Mycoplasma bovis entered New Zealand but it has been narrowed to one farm in the Upper North Island an two in the South Island says Boyle.
