New requirements under Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) legislation
Find out about new M. bovis requirements that may affect you or your business.
The M. bovis programme moved to being delivered under a National Pest Management Plan (NPMP) on 1 January 2025. The NPMP introduces new requirements for people transporting or receiving raw milk for cattle feed (effective 1 July 2025). It also introduces new requirements for M. bovis sampling, testing and reporting.
Transporting and receiving raw milk for cattle feed
From 1 July 2025, new requirements come into effect to record the movement of raw milk being used for cattle feed.
These new requirements are important because:
- M. bovis can spread between cattle via raw milk
- keeping an accurate record of raw milk movements between locations makes it easier to quickly respond to, and contain, any future outbreaks of M. bovis
- recording these movements could also play an important role in containing and limiting the spread of other infectious diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease or bovine viral diarrhoea.
The new requirements affect people:
- transporting raw milk to be used for cattle feed (including dairy processing operators)
- who receive raw milk to be used for cattle feed.
Guidelines for recording movements of raw milk to be used for cattle feed
People in the groups above must capture the following details when transporting or receiving raw milk for cattle feed:
- 1 Supplying dairy farm — this can be any unique identifier such as farm name/address, dairy supply number, or NAIT number.
- 2 Driver and vehicle that transported the milk — this can be driver name and vehicle registration, or company name and run number.
- 3 Time and date of delivery.
- 4 Total volume of milk delivered.
Transporters
Transporters moving raw milk from farmer to farmer must:
- collect the required information above
- provide the receiver of the milk with the required information on delivery or within 24 hours (either hard copy or electronically).
Transporters moving raw milk for a dairy processor (for example, to a waste disposal site where it will be used as cattle feed) must:
- collect the required information above
- provide the receiver of the milk with details of the tanker and run number, along with date and time of delivery (either hard copy or electronically, within 24 hours).
For privacy reasons, the dairy processor will hold all the supplier records, in case MBfree needs to trace the origins of the raw milk.
Receivers
Receivers of raw milk for cattle feed must:
- only take delivery if they get the required information above
- keep the movement information for 4 years from receipt.
Records must be available if requested to investigate possible spread of M. bovis. If you can’t provide records, you may not be eligible for compensation for losses resulting from actions/impacts of the M. bovis programme.
Suppliers
We recommend that suppliers of raw milk maintain records of where their waste or surplus milk is sent. While the legislative requirements apply to transporters and receivers, keeping these records is part of good biosecurity practice.
Range of ways to record movement information
You can choose how to document raw milk movements. For example, you can:
- download, fill out and save a copy of the template below
- keep hard copy or electronic records in your farm diary, logbook, or anywhere else you record business details
- make notes on sales invoices or receipts for raw milk purchases.
Laboratory testing as part of the M. bovis programme
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) must approve tests and diagnostic laboratories testing samples collected as part of the M. bovis programme. You can find a list of approved tests and laboratories on MPI’s website.
Approved laboratories will continue to report results as specified in their contracts with MBfree.
Laboratory testing outside the M. bovis programme
As the management agency, we approve the continued use of tests by diagnostic laboratories for M. bovis testing outside the programme, provided:
- positive results are reported immediately (within 24 hours) by calling us on 0800 482 463
- negative results are reported to us regularly, as agreed with the M. bovis programme.
We will work with laboratories to understand how reporting negative data will best fit with their business practice.
As a basic guide, the report of negative data can be in CSV format and should include:
- laboratory name
- sample ID
- sample type
- submission date
- test type
- test date
- result.
Laboratories can send monthly reports to mbovis_programme@ospri.co.nz
Obligation to report suspected M. bovis
Rules 8 and 9 of the NPMP outline the obligations to report suspected M. bovis infection in cattle. These rules reinforce the existing duty to report it as a notifiable organism under section 46 of the Biosecurity Act.
The NPMP rules apply to:
- veterinarians
- operators of commercial slaughter businesses
- ante and post-mortem examiners in commercial slaughter premises.
Veterinarians
Veterinarians must report cases where M. bovis is suspected as the cause of disease — particularly when more common causes have been ruled out.
Slaughter business operators and examiners
Given the stage of the M. bovis eradication programme, and the fact post-mortem pathology is not a reliable means of diagnosis, notification is only required in the unlikely event of mob-level evidence of disease — creating suspicion of possible M. bovis infection.
How to report suspected M. bovis
If, after following your procedures for escalation and consultation, you suspect M. bovis infection, call us on 0800 482 463 and tell us:
- the location of the cattle
- details of the cattle (age, breed, sex, RFID)
- any signs or symptoms that raised your suspicion.
We will assess the reported information and, if needed, guide you on next steps, including sample collection or submission for approved diagnostic testing.
Sampling methods
Samples must be collected, handled and transported in a way that:
- prevents contamination
- preserves sample quality for diagnostic testing.
For sampling completed:
- as part of the M. bovis programme, samplers should refer to the sampling instructions provided alongside their contract
- outside the M. bovis programme, samplers should refer to the laboratory providing the diagnostic test for guidance.
Our sampling guidance document has general advice on collecting, handling and storing blood, milk and tonsil swab samples. This advice complies with the approved tests used for programme surveillance.