Moving Day is part of dairy farming culture in New Zealand. As the new season starts, thousands of sharemilkers around the country move their cows, equipment and families to new farms, which may facilitate disease spreading.
“One thing the Mycoplasma bovis response has highlighted is the low levels of compliance with NAIT,” O’Connor said in a statement, referring to the widespread cow disease in New Zealand.
“Following a recent NAIT system upgrade, every person in charge of animals must re-register their NAIT location,” the minister said.
The Ministry for Primary Industries has increased the number of compliance staff who have conducted 455 on-farm inspections so far this year.
“We need to get to a position where every single animal movement on every single farm in the country is recorded,” O’Connor said.
“We’re trying to stop Mycoplasma bovis going through the entire national herd. We are on track to eradicate this disease and we need the support of farmers, so get on to NAIT and complete your re-registration,” he added.