Four types of M. bovis property categories
Properties involved in the Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) Eradication Programme will fall into one of the following categories:
- under Active Surveillance
- under a movement control Notice of Direction
- an Active Confirmed Property
- a Cleared Confirmed Property.
Active Surveillance
Properties are placed under Active Surveillance when the risk of infection is low. Testing is necessary to determine the infection status of the cattle. This will require 1 or more rounds of testing for cattle on your property. No movement controls are placed on your property, so you can continue normal farming activities while initial testing is carried out.
A movement control Notice of Direction
Where the risk of M. bovis infection is considered high, the property will be put under a movement control Notice of Direction (NOD) – a legal notice issued under sections 121 or 122 of the Biosecurity Act 1993.
This includes properties where:
- there are, or have been, high-risk trace cattle present
- there has been a movement of high-risk goods (infected milk or colostrum)
- a bulk tank milk screening detect result has been produced
- a round of Active Surveillance testing was positive
- a beef and drystock cattle surveillance screen positive result has been determined
- a positive commercial PCR test result has been determined.
The movement control NOD prevents cattle, milk, colostrum, and equipment that’s at risk of spreading M. bovis from being moved off-farm (without a permit) while more testing is carried out.
Permits can be sought from MPI for normal farm management culls.
In conjunction with the movement control NOD, a Duty to Provide Information notice (section 43 of the Biosecurity Act 1993) may be issued, for the purposes of requesting information or for the maintenance of accurate information.
A census (section 121 of the Biosecurity Act 1993) of all cattle on-farm may also be required. This is a stocktake and involves scanning the NAIT-approved RFID ear tags of all cattle on the property. It is usually completed at the same time as sampling. The census provides an accurate picture of all cattle present on the property, allowing farmers to update their NAIT records. It also allows the programme to confirm the absence or presence of any trace cattle or cattle of interest.
Active Confirmed Property
Active Confirmed Properties are properties that have been confirmed to have M. bovis. They are under a Restricted Place Notice (RP Notice), which stops animal movement and at-risk goods or equipment on and off the affected part of the property.
All cattle subject to the Restricted Place Notice will be culled.
Depending on the type of property, it will go through cleaning and disinfection and/or a stand-down period before repopulation is allowed. Once this has been completed, and movement controls lifted, a property becomes a Cleared Confirmed Property and can be repopulated with replacement cattle.
Cleared Confirmed Property
Cleared Confirmed Properties have had M. bovis, and have been depopulated, cleaned and disinfected (and/or stood down), and had legal notices lifted.
Information packs for farmers
Information packs for each property category are available from the M. bovis information hub to download, covering each step of the process. Each pack has comprehensive information about all aspects of the process for farmers, useful contact details, biosecurity information, and a summary of the disease.
Farmers under Active Surveillance [PDF, 2.75MB]
Farmers under a Notice of Direction [PDF, 1.92MB]
Farmers under a Restricted Place Notice (Active Confirmed Property) [PDF, 2.01MB]
Neighbours of properties affected by M. bovis [PDF, 3.26MB]
