East Taupō TB response

What we know about TB in East Taupō

While the East Taupō district has been considered free of TB for years, an infected herd was detected within 40km of an area where we know disease is present in wildlife. It was concerning that the farming operation's livestock movements showed no obvious links to other (TB-infected) herds outside of the region.  

By mid-November 2023 we had linked the strain from East Taupō’s first infected cow to more recent Hawke's Bay infections. We determined this using whole genome sequencing.

In July 2024, we found evidence of TB in local wildlife, supporting our early suspicions that the disease pathway was due to contact with infected possums.

Land ownership or interest have complexities, so our response has involved many meetings, hui, door knocks and phone calls to identify local stakeholders, businesses or people who could be impacted by our work. Early and positive collaboration gives us confidence of returning East Taupō to a TB-free status.

Diagnosing TB in cattle and deer takes time and is not a simple process and, in most cases, can take 6 to 10 weeks to diagnose. This month:

• we have 5 herds with a TB-infected status in the district
• we’re investigating 2 other herds for TB — further testing will determine whether or not the disease is present.

East Taupō TB response area

This map shows where we are focusing our disease management efforts in East Taupō. Our activities can include:

• on-farm TB testing
• restricting livestock movement
• wildlife surveys
• pest control
• supporting existing conservation efforts. 

Our response so far

• OSPRI has worked closely with the impacted farms, supporting the people and their herds' recovery.
• Cattle on each of these farms are subject to movement control, to prevent the risk of disease spread, and then further TB testing. Where we felt there is a heightened risk of wildlife infection, nearby herds were also placed under movement control.
• We immediately started trapping work to protect the first infected farm and neighbours. Since January over 1400 possums have been caught, and bait stations were put in place after this initial trapping.
• In the wider area extra testing was carried out over January and February 2024, and at that time no further disease was found.
• In February we also started working with local pig hunters to gather pigs heads. Pigs are a very useful tool to look for TB in the wildlife population, and have had 71 pig heads handed in.
• With continued routine testing of livestock under movement control, between May and June, three more TB infected herds were discovered. Declaring an animal TB positive is a step-by-step process, starting with skin tests at the farm and ending with a post-mortem typically over a month later. 
• In June, we changed the on-farm TB testing policy for other farms in the immediate area and advanced their test due date. These changes increased our surveillance in this new special testing area.
• During July 2024, our lab confirmed TB within a wild pig removed from an affected property, supporting a conclusion that their herd breakdown occurred due to contact with infected possums.
• By August 2024, completed possum control had increased to 17,000 hectares in the immediate area.

What we're doing next

How we control TB in New Zealand involves three main activities. These important efforts will continue, including assessing the need to widen movement restrictions in East Taupō, or not. If this is necessary, we will advise you.

We will keep working with pig hunters as we look for the disease in a wider area. 

Wider landscape possum control involves working with the landowners, iwi trusts, hapū, lessees, conservation groups, pest control operators and forestry managers across approximately 89,000 hectares.

Pest control operators may have already been in touch about work on you block or farm or near you.

What this means for farmers and lifestyle block owners

You can help by presenting your animals for additional TB testing, if asked. When investigating a herd infection, we often ask this of other farmers in the district.

Ensure you:

• tag cattle and deer
• record animal movements in NAIT
• keep your NAIT records up to date.

Having access to accurate data is crucial when dealing with an infectious disease or biosecurity threat.

Support available 

We know having TB-infected herds in the area can be stressful for farmers, neighbouring families and communities. We're available to help, as is The Rural Support Trust.