The chairman of Dairy NZ says he is "very confident" New Zealand can eradicate Mycoplasma bovis after a $900m phased eradication plan was announced yesterday.
About 152,000 cows are likely to be culled during the next ten years, with the majority culled within the next few years, in order to stamp out the disease.
M. bovis can remain dormant in animals until they are under stress, when symptoms like mastitis, severe pneumonia, ear infections and in some cases abortions can flare up.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the decision was made in the interest of the national herd, and that the estimated productivity loss of letting it remain in New Zealand was about $1.3b.
For Lynda Burgess the Government's action plan has come as very sad news. (Source: Other)
"This was a tough decision and I empathise fully with those farmers going through the pain of losing their herds," she said.
Jim van der Poel, speaking this morning to TVNZ 1's Breakfast programme, said the decision was not taken lightly and the best advice possible suggested there is a good chance of beating the disease.
"We weighed up the differences between having to live with this disease long term or the one chance we have of eradicating it and actually getting it out of our national herd for good," he said.
Mr van der Poel said Dairy NZ is "very confident" the disease can be eradicated - "otherwise we wouldn't have made this decision".
"There is judgment in all of these calls, of course, but all our experts are still telling us it's possible to work so we're following that advice ... we think it's still very, very possible.
"We will continue to evaluate as more information comes through to make sure we're still on the right track."
The Prime Minister said compensation plans are in place for those farmers affected by the plan to cull about 152,000 cows. (Source: Other)
Roughly 192 farms are likely to be affected, of the roughly 20,000 farms nationwide, with some farmers losing their entire herd.
"Of course those farmers that are directly affected are very upset, cause farmers get very attached to their animals - they've spent their whole working life breeding those animals," Mr van der Poel said.
"This is an opportunity for us to keep it out of the 99 per cent of herds which don't have Mycoplasma bovis at the moment.
"Yes, it's hard on those farmers who are directly affected, and we've got people on the ground supporting those farmers."
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