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Dry conditions and pre-movement TB testing – what you need to know

With a dry summer on the horizon for many areas, here's what to consider if you need to de-stock.

A herd of cattle grazing in a dry fieldA hot summer can quickly lead to the need to de-stock. Planning is crucial, especially when you are farming within a Movement Control Area. For those farmers, here’s some tips to consider:

  • Allow at least 14 days for pre-movement testing, after making your request. For the welfare of your animals, it’s critical to allow for this
  • If you are thinking about feed budgeting, here’s a great tool to consider:
Feed planning | Beef + Lamb New Zealand
  • Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) On Farm Support team has a fact sheet that has advice for farmers, as well as key contacts that can provide a range of support:
Preparing for dry weather fact sheet

Pre-movement TB testing

We’re working hard with AsureQuality to have enough testers available, as we’re expecting a high volume of pre movement testing needed across multiple regions. Furthermore, from 24 December 2024 to 3 January 2025 we’ll be pausing any other testing to prioritise livestock needing a pre-movement test.

If you are unsure if your property falls within a Movement Control Area, please call our Support Centre on 0800 482 463

To ensure that destocking can happen smoothly for everyone within the Movement Control Area please follow these steps:

  1. To arrange a pre-movement TB test please call OSPRI on 0800 482 463
  2. Request a pre-movement test with as much notice as possible (at the very least 14 days), as this will help us to be able to prioritise urgent situations
  3. Testers will be busy, and hold ups have a flow on effect. So, it’s helpful that on the day of scheduled testing, your animals are mustered and ready 30 min before the tester arrives.

Get in touch

While our offices close for the holiday period after Friday 20 December until Monday 6 January 2025, our Support Centre will continue to operate with a small team over that time (except for the statuary days).

You can contact our Support Centre by calling 0800 482 463 or emailing info@ospri.co.nz.

For any other help with NAIT, TBfree or M. bovis, contact details follow. If your call is urgent, but you can’t reach one of the Support Centre’s team, do leave a voice message – we will call back as soon as possible.  If you have a matter that is not urgent, please send us email - it’ll help keep the lines clear.

If you have an animal welfare or biosecurity emergency, we recommend contacting MPI on 0800 008 333.