It is "immensely distressing" for farmers looking after Mycoplasma bovis-infected cows that have not yet gone to the slaughter, a vet says, after an instance of cows in the middle of calving unable to be transported for culling.
A Southland farmer last month expressed his frustration, saying he advised Ministry of Primary Industries in February his infected cows were pregnant, hoping the cull would be completed then.
Frank Peters struggled to contain his emotions as he talked about sending 670 cows to their deaths as the Mycoplasma bovis disease spreads.
However the cows are currently still alive and about to calve.
It is a year on from New Zealand’s first Mycoplasma bovis outbreak, and Southland vet Mark Bryan told TVNZ1’s Q+A the newest concern is infected cows in the middle of calving that cannot be transported to slaughter.
Mr Bryan said having to look after the infected pregnant cows and their calves, knowing they would have to be slaughtered, was "immensely distressing" for the farmer.
To limit movement between farms, MPI provide feed for animals waiting to be culled.
MPI sent Q+A a statement which said: "We'd be very concerned if farmers have been waiting several months from when they receive their notice to cull.
"We are working hard to ensure that doesn't happen."
This spring, every M bovis-free property will be tested to give a true picture of how widespread the disease is.
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