Exotic infection found on Waikato farms

By Phil Boeyen, ShareChat Business News Editor

Friday 2nd November 2001

The Ministry of Agriculture has reported that a goat farm and a cattle farm, both in the Waikato area, have been hit by a disease outbreak caused by a bacterium thought to be new to New Zealand.

The bacterium, known as MmmLC, causes polyarthritis in goats, which is characterised by painful swelling of several joints.

MAF says MmmLC is found in Europe, Africa, North America and Australia, where it causes sporadic outbreaks of pneumonia, arthritis, conjunctivitis, and mastitis in goats, and in some countries, sheep.

Investigations on the farms began in August after the dairy goat farm began experiencing illness in kids.

"Evidence that it had spread to a calf-rearing farm became apparent in late August when calves presented with a similar syndrome characterised by polyarthritis and pneumonia," says MAF spokesperson, Dr Matthew Stone.

"Investigations revealed that unpasteurised milk had been purchased from a dairy factory for feeding to the calves. Some of this unpasteurised milk originated from the infected goat farm."

So far, 34 cases in kids and 39 cases in calves have occurred and six kids and 10 calves have died or been put down.

A Technical Advisory Group made up of representatives from MAF, industry stakeholders, and including veterinary and industry experts, is currently being set up to consider how to respond to the outbreak.

MAF says MmmLC is subject to market access requirements in export certificates for sheep and goats (live animals, semen and embryos) to certain countries and some export certificates have been withdrawn and will require re-negotiation.

No sheep are currently known to be involved in the outbreak.

Dr Stone says antibiotics can improve the health of affected animals but are not effective in eliminating infection and recovered animals typically become long-term carriers.

Restrictions have been placed on the two farms at the centre of the outbreak and on several other properties where kids and calves have been moved since the outbreak began.

Because outbreaks such as this can have production and international trade implications, MAF is stressing that the bacterium MmmLC should not be confused with another subspecies, MmmSC, which causes contagious bovine pleuro-pneumonia.

"Accurate reporting of the organism type is considered essential by MAF to avoid confusion," says Dr Stone.

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