Taharua TB Management Area (TMA)

Eradicating bovine TB in NZ

As part of our TBfree programme we deliver our pest control operations through a framework of TB management areas (TMAs). TMAs are areas with known TB infection in livestock or wildlife. Each TMA has a specific TB control plan designed to eradicate TB as effectively as possible.

About the TBfree programme

The Taharua TMA

The Taharua TMA lies in the Hawke's Bay section of the Taupō District, to the west of the Napier-Taupō Highway. It spans 21,800 hectares.

The TMA is a mix of:

native bush
pine plantations
intensively managed pasture land.

A small number of herds exists in this TMA — these are large dairy and beef herds. There are also deer-breeding herds and a game estate in the Poronui area.

History of TB and pest control in Taharua

The Taharua TMA has a long history of TB infection in cattle herds and local wildlife. We last found an infected:

ferret in 2003
pig in 2008
herd in 2016.

Previous possum control and livestock disease management has reduced the number of infected herds in the Bay of Plenty and Hawke’s Bay regions. We've completed regular possum control operations in the Taharua TMA since the early 2000s. This has kept the possum population at a low level, and prevented TB from migrating into the TMA from neighbouring areas. However, our monitoring has shown that we need to do further control work in the Taharua area to reduce the possum population. This will:

minimise the risk of the disease spreading through wild animal populations into farmed cattle and deer
ensure further good progress towards eradicating TB.

We completed ground control in:

Lochinver South and the Taharua Vector Control Zone in 2020/2021
Poronui, Ripia and Wharetoto in 2021/2022
Lochinver South, Poronui and Wharetoto in 2022/2023.

We completed aerial control in Ripia and Poronui in 2021.

Current state

As of June 2024, there are no infected herds in the Taharua TMA.

If you're moving animals

The Taharua TMA is in the Central North Island Movement Control Area. Before you move cattle or deer to another herd or farm, you must have them tested for bovine TB.

Moving animals from a Movement Control Area (MCA)

Future pest control operations

We plan our pest control operations up to 3 years in advance. The current year runs from July 2024 to June 2025.

Dates and control methods for pest control operations in Taharua are provisional and subject to change. If you’re affected by any upcoming operations, our pest control contractors will contact you before work begins. They will: