Jacinda was impressive on TV3 this morning, talking about the Mycoplasma-Bovis infection pattern in NZ.
As this link to DairyNZ shows, it's a nasty permanent infection for cows, and has a gestation period making it difficult to preempt. Luckily it's not windborne.
https://www.dairynz.co.nz/animal/cow...oplasma-bovis/
If we can eradicate it in NZ, it would presumably mean a return to lower overheads and reduced herd replacement rates. But in the meantime it'll be a large expense for the industry and the taxpayer. On the positive side it'll probably mean we'll see increased demarcation of stock on farms, more attention paid to boisecurity and the NAIT process. It's a real wonder we haven't seen some new diseases come in with palm kernel and the like.
Along with other good things this new govt is doing already, I feel more reassured that we'll end up with the best obtainable result for dairy farmers and the country as a whole.