Survey of bulk tank milk in New Zealand for Mycoplasma bovis , using species-specific nested PCR and culture.
OBJECTIVE
To survey the dairy cattle population in New Zealand for the presence or absence of Mycoplasma bovis.


METHODS
A random cross-sectional survey of bulk tank milk from dairy herds in New Zealand based on regionally proportioned sampling, weighted towards herds with a high bulk tank milk somatic cell count (SCC) was used to detect M. bovis at a between-herd prevalence of 2%, with 99% confidence. Bulk tank milk samples collected on-farm were tested using a nested M. bovis PCR, and bacteriological culture employing enrichment in mycoplasma broth and direct plating onto mycoplasma agar.


RESULTS
Mycoplasma bovis was not detected in any of the 244 bulk tank milk samples by either PCR or culture.


CONCLUSIONS
This survey provides further evidence that M. bovis is not present in the dairy cattle population in New Zealand.
McDonald
W L
WL
Investigation and Diagnostic Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Biosecurity New Zealand, PO Box 40742, Upper Hutt 5140, New Zealand. wendy.mcdonald@maf.govt.nz
Rawdon
T G
TG
Fitzmaurice
J
J
Bolotovski
I
I
Voges
H
H
Humphrey
S
S
Fernando
K
K
Canagasebey
Y
Y
Thornton
R N
RN
McIntyre
L
L
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002452:Cell Count / Q000662:veterinary; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008892:Milk / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology*; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D045682:Mycoplasma bovis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D015995:Prevalence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013045:Species Specificity