Mycoplasma bovis eradication moves into final phase

Spring Bulk tank milk surveillance across the country has just finished and no signs of Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) were found. As the last known transmission of M. bovis was in September 2023, getting clear infections in the last two spring seasons were important because it includes the new-born heifers from the year before, entering the milking herd for the first time. In many cases, this will be the first time these animals have been tested for M. bovis through the bulk milk tank testing process.

So, after seven years of industry effort, the M. bovis programme is now entering a phase called ‘confidence of absence’. In this phase, the M. bovis programme will do further testing over the next couple of years to gather sufficient data to prove M. bovis is no longer present in the national herd, and to declare eradication – a world-first.

With the lower risk of disease now, OSPRI will no longer routinely use movement controls while investigating bulk tank milk detect results. Where screening shows something unusual, the programme will need to work with farmers to sample animals to confirm everything is clear. As confidence grows, the costs of the eradication programme and will continue to decrease.

Farmers continue to play an important role in ridding M. bovis, through levies, by allowing testing on farm, and through their own biosecurity planning. So, this step closer to eradication is a big milestone for them, as well as rural communities and the wider primary sector.