Aad van Leeuwen, who owns the farms where Mycoplasma bovis was first identified in New Zealand, said he believed it had been in the country for years. Photo / File
The Ministry for Primary Industries' effort to contain and eradicate cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis is ''madness'' that should stop, says the farmer where it all started.
With 14 farms now confirmed as having the disease, the ministry has criticised farmers for poor compliance with the national livestock tracing scheme, slowing
the response to the disease.
But Glenavy dairy farmer Aad van Leeuwen, who owns the farms where the disease was first identified in New Zealand - and has had 4000 cattle culled - said he believed it had been in the country for years.
After going to the United States to learn about the disease, which was prevalent in many other countries, he advised the ministry four months ago to adopt a rigorous nationwide bulk milk testing programme to determine how widespread it was.
''It's made out to be such a terrible thing, but it's very, very manageable; it's been here for a long time already; it is worldwide,'' he said. ''So, instead of ripping communities apart, sending people broke ... I would say this madness needs to stop.
