Thursday, March 28, 2024

Application made for rabbit control disease

Neal Wallace
The bid to introduce a new strain of the rabbit-killing rabbit haemorrhagic disease has reached its final hurdle.
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The Ministry for Primary Industries has received an application for RHD – K5, a Korean variant of the Czech strain that was released in 1997.

The application was now open for public consultation.

“MPI will consider benefits of the release to the agricultural sector, as well as identification and management of risks to animal welfare, agricultural impacts, trade and public health matters associated with the virus,” MPI audit, assurance and monitoring systems director Allan Kinsella said.

“This will include consideration of the risks posed to non-target animals such as pet rabbits.

"The strain of RHDV that already exists in New Zealand has a vaccine, which is being used to protect against the new strain in other countries.

“As part of MPI's assessment we will be considering evidence of protection against the new strain,” he said.

A proposed release was already running a year late after the applicants, a group of regional councils, the Department of Conservation, Federated Farmers, MPI and Land Information NZ decided to get more information by observing its performance in Australia, where it was released earlier this year.

The new application was in response to the initial strain losing its effectiveness in controlling rabbit numbers and last March the applicants said they were aiming for a nationwide release next autumn.

MPI would consider the application under the Agricultural Compound Veterinary and Medicines Act and Biosecurity Act. Consultation closes on December 14.

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