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About the conference

In 2018 the Government, DairyNZ, and Beef + Lamb New Zealand invested in a programme of research projects to:

  • better understand the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis)
  • inform the eradication programme for the disease.

The outcomes of these projects were shared in a 2-day virtual conference. Themes covered include:

  • entry pathways
  • diagnostics
  • epidemiology
  • farmer experiences.

Watch the conference presentations

Video summaries

Entry pathways

Lucy Burrows, Animal Health Laboratory: Semen PCR – YouTube

Tim Ferguson, Animal Health Laboratory: Survivability study – YouTube

Diagnostics

Dr Mallory Ross, AgResearch: Developing a new diagnostic test – YouTube

Epidemiology

Dr Jon Happold, AusVest Pty Ltd: Risk prioritisation – YouTube

Professor Mark Stevenson, University of Melbourne: Predictive modelling – YouTube

Dr Winston Mason, VetEnt Research: Descriptive analysis of stock movement – YouTube

Farmer experiences

Sandar Duckworth, Litmus: Farmer experience study – YouTube

Adam Durrant, Kantar Public: Understanding NAIT compliance behaviour – YouTube

Full presentations

Entry pathways

Dr Jonathan Foxwell, Animal Health Laboratory: Testing for the presence and survivability of M. bovis in semen – YouTube

Diagnostics

Dr Natasha Gordon, Pictor Ltd: How multiplexing technology can help in the eradication of M. bovis from Aotearoa New Zealand – YouTube

John Mackay, dnature: It’s good for COVID – but not for M. bovis: Improving the PCR detection of M. bovis in milk – YouTube

Dr Mallory Ross, AgResearch: Developing a new diagnostic test for M. bovis using extracellular vesicles – YouTube

Dr Cameron Stewart, CSIRO: Host biomarkers for improved detection of M. bovis infection – YouTube

Epidemiology

Dr Brendan Cowled, AusVet Pty Ltd: Use of scenario tree modelling to plan freedom from infection surveillance – Youtube

Dr Jon Happold, AusVet Pty Ltd: Epidemiology M. bovis risk prioritisation: Risk factors for transmission and prioritisation of farms for investigation – Youtube

Dr Ryan Higgs, Onside Ltd: Network analysis and alternative data sources for biosecurity, full presentation – Youtube

Dr Winston Mason, VetEnt Research: Descriptive analysis of stock movement in New Zealand full presentation – Youtube

Professor Mark Stevenson and Dr Richard Bradhurst, University of Melbourne: Predictive modelling of M. bovis in New Zealand, full presentation – Youtube

Farmer experiences

Sandar Duckworth, Litmus: Farmer experiences in the M. bovis Programme – a qualitative analysis – Youtube

Dr Pike Stahlmann-Brown, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research: Understanding biosecurity perceptions and practices among NZ lifestyle block owners – Youtube

Céline Yockney, Kantar Public: Understanding NAIT compliance behaviour – Youtube  

Who to contact

If you have questions about Mycoplasma bovis:

MPI business units