Why eradicate M. bovis?

The Government and farming sector bodies announced on 28 May 2018 that an attempt will be made to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis from New Zealand. Find out about the decision and what it means for you.

Significant analysis led to the decision

The Government along with the dairy and beef industries have agreed that an attempt will be made to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis. This means we're trying to completely get rid of Mycoplasma bovis from New Zealand's dairy and beef herds. The decision was announced on 28 May 2018. We expect to do most of the eradication work in 1 to 2 years.

Technical experts and economists have carried out significant analysis and modelling to:

  • determine how the disease could affect herds into the future
  • evaluate the costs and benefits of attempting eradication.

All agreed that this is the best action to protect the national herd of dairy and beef cattle and to give farmers certainty. The welfare of both farmers and their animals is at the heart of the decision.

As at 25 June 2018, the disease is still not widespread (42 infected farms) and there is just one strain of the disease here. Eradicating Mycoplasma bovis won't be easy, but if we don't try now, we will never get another chance.

Find out more

Mycoplasma bovis 2019 National Plan

The three eradication partners released a plan on 5 April 2019 to set out three goals for the next year.

  • Eradicate M. bovis.
  • Reduce the impact of the M. bovis eradication programme on farmers, families and communities.
  • Apply the lessons learnt to further strengthen the biosecurity system.

Mycoplasma bovis 2019 National Plan [PDF, 5.5 MB]

Industry support for eradication

DairyNZ, Federated Farmers, and Beef+Lamb New Zealand support MPI's decisions. They also recognise that this is a difficult time for the farmers involved.

The industry organisations believe that the measures are necessary to protect all New Zealand cattle farms from the disease. New Zealand is one of the few countries where Mycoplasma bovis is not found naturally. Because of this, the industry groups support measures to keep it that way.

Advice for affected farmers

Who to contact

If you have any questions about Mycoplasma bovis

Farmers can also contact their industry body

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