TSE Surveillance Incentives

Important changes to the TSE Surveillance Program

Although livestock in New Zealand are not infected with the TSE agents, any country that wants to trade as TSE-free must undertake an internationally acceptable on-going TSE surveillance and monitoring programme, that has been designed along the guidelines provided by the World Organisation for Animal Health (the OIE). These incentive arrangements assist New Zealand to meet these guidelines, and ensure the continued market access that is vital to New Zealand's economy.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) pays the following transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) investigation incentives directly to farmers and veterinarians: 

Farmer Incentives

Veterinary Incentives

Please note: A maximum of 2 samples may be submitted per farm per year. For investigation of further cases please contact MAF Investigation and Diagnostic Centre (IDC) on 0800 80 99 66.

If the brain is not removed by the practitioner, the following deductions will be incurred: $70 plus GST for cattle, $60 plus GST for deer and $30 plus GST for sheep.

Note: To receive payment, MAF must receive a completed TSE submission form, along with a copy of the laboratory report and a GST invoice itemising each case number.

Sampling Criteria

Age

• Cattle aged 30 months up to 9 years
• Deer, sheep and goats 2 years and older

Clinical presentation

• Cattle which might be considered as having a metabolic disorder which fails to respond to treatment.
• Downer cattle which have no obvious injury.
• Dairy cattle which have previously behaved reasonably in the milking shed, but which are now at the point of being culled for behavioural reasons.
• Cattle showing any signs which might be considered to be of neurological origin and which do not respond to treatment.
• Cattle showing abnormalities of gait or stance which are not obviously associated with musculo-skeletal pathology.
• Progressive non-responsive nervous disease cases in adult sheep, goats, and deer.
• Progressive non-responsive cases of illthrift in deer.
• Acute or peracute pneumonia, or aspiration pneumonia in adult deer.

In each case, where no other cause of the disease can be definitely diagnosed at the time of necropsy.

NB: 'Nervous behaviour' in cattle is defined as: persistent ear-twitching, strange gait, aggressiveness, nervousness, cup-kicking, or behavioural change.

Submission Form For Use By Veterinarians

To receive payment, this TSE submission form must be completed for each case, sent to the laboratory with the samples, and also returned to the address stated in the submission form. When submitting samples, it is critical to ensure that they conform to the specifications given in the submission form. A CD on Bovine Brain Removal Methods is available on request from TSEsurveillance@maf.govt.nz

• MAF TSE Surveillance Specification for Sample Submission (368 KB)
• Submission Forms for Veterinarians (108 KB)

Approved Diagnostic laboratories for Samples Dispatch

Gribbles Veterinary Pathology

Auckland
Courier: 37 - 41 Carbine Road, Mt Wellington
Postal: PO Box 12049, Penrose, Auckland 1642
Tel: 09 526 4560
Fax: 09 574 5304

Hamilton
Courier: 57 Sunshine Ave, Hamilton
Postal: PO Box 195, Hamilton
Tel: 07 850 0777
Fax: 07 850 0770

Palmerston North
Courier: 840 Tremaine Avenue, Palmerston North
Postal: PO Box 536, Palmerston North
Tel: 06 356 7100
Fax: 06 357 1904

Christchurch
Courier: 7 Halkett Street, Christchurch 8015
Postal: PO Box 3866, Christchurch
Tel: 03 379 9484
Fax: 03 379 9485

Dunedin
Courier: Invermay Campus, Block A, Puddle Alley
Postal: PO Box 371, Mosgiel
Tel: 03 489 4600
Fax: 03 489 8576

New Zealand Veterinary Pathology

Hamilton
Courier: Cnr Anglesea & Knox Streets, Hamilton
Postal: Po Box 944, Hamilton
Tel: 07 839 1470
Fax: 07 839 1471

Palmerston North
Courier: IVABS Building, 1st Floor, Massey University, Tennant Drive, Palmerston North
Postal: PO Box 325, Palmerston North
Tel: 06 353 3983
Fax: 06 353 3986

Page last updated: 5 November 2008