Ōhakune Farmland 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.

The Ōhakune Farmland TMA

The Ōhakune Farmland TMA lies to the south and south-west of Mt Ruapehu. The TMA's boundaries run from the small settlement of Orautoha in the west to Waiouru in the east, and include the Ōhakune township.

Much of the landscape in the TMA is flat paddocks and rolling hills that are dissected by streams. Land use is predominantly dry-stock farming, beef-breeding units, and a small number of dairy herds and deer breeding units. There's also some horticulture.

History of TB and pest control in Ōhakune Farmland

The Orautoha, Ōhakune and West Ōhakune areas have a long history of TB infection in cattle herds and local wildlife.

Previous possum control and livestock disease management has reduced the number of infected herds in the Manawatū-Whanganui region. However, our monitoring has shown that we need to do further control work in the Ōhakune Farmland 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've completed regular possum control in the Ōhakune Farmland TMA since the early 2000s. This has kept the possum population at low levels for the past 10 years. It has also stopped TB migrating into the TMA from adjacent areas.

We completed ground control across the whole TMA — except for the Ōhakune township — in 2014 and 2016.

Current state

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

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 Ōhakune Farmland 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:

• talk you through the specifics of each operation
• explain what you need to do before the operations start
• get your consent for the work to be done.

Map of 2024/2025 pest control operations

The proposed area for wildlife surveillance is marked on the map in blue.

Interactive map showing Ōhakune Farmland TB management area boundaries, Vector Control Zone, and proposed control areas.

Contacts

Supplejack Contracting Limited manages eradication activities in the Ōhakune Farmland TMA. Contact them directly if you have feedback or questions about upcoming operations.

Supplejack Contracting Limited

Phone: 06 378 8414

Email: admin@supplejackcontracting.co.nz

Nearest local OSPRI office

OSPRI Palmerston North office

PO Box 9078

Terrace End

Palmerston North 4441

Phone: 06 353 2710