The maximum spore counts analysed by Hamilton-based Gribbles Veterinary on January 14 also reached 30,000 in Franklin and Tauranga, 120,000 in Waikato, 35,0000 in Waitomo and 150,000 on the East Coast.
In the second week of monitoring, samples collected from farms in Waihi, Franklin, Hauraki, Whitianga, Rotorua, Whakatane, Tauranga, Hamilton, Morrinsville, Waipa, Waitomo, New Plymouth and Gisborne were all higher than the 30,000 spores/gram threshold at which veterinarians recommend farmers take action against facial eczema.
The warm, wet summer has been ideal growing conditions for the fungus Pithomyces chartarum to grow in pastures. The fungus produces toxic spores, which are then eaten by sheep and cattle, causing liver and skin damage, and death if left unprotected.
Beef +Lamb NZ’s senior advisor for biosecurity and animal welfare Will Halliday says farmers should be undertaking weekly monitoring and putting management strategies in place to prevent stock being affected by this production-limiting disease.
“While facial eczema spore monitoring has just begun for the 2021 season, nationally they are nearly twice as high as they were in January in the previous three years, indicating that if these climatic conditions continue, this could be shaping up for a bad year for facial eczema.”
DairyNZ general manager of farm performance Sharon Morrell says it appeared at this early stage the high spore counts were in isolated patches only, with some regions receiving zero spore count readings.
“It is quite pockety. It’s not universal,” she said.
“The message is though – regardless of whether spore counts are high or not – people should be given the amount of debris that’s around on some farms and given how warm and damp it’s been, they should be doing their preventative measures already.”
