Animal Limb Confirmed As from Sheep: MPI
The Ministry for Primary Industries today confirmed that further DNA
testing carried out on an animal limb, recently discovered by a Bay
of Plenty farmer in some PKE, is from a sheep, not an exotic goat or
deer as suspected last week.
Deputy Director General Compliance and Response, Andrew Coleman says,
“An independent genetic laboratory has confirmed the limb is from a
sheep, and MPI is confident it is a New Zealand sheep. The farm where
the limb was found has sheep, home kill is undertaken, the maggots
found on the limb were a species of blowfly found in New Zealand, and
most of the PKE supplied goes through a 4mm filter.
“While our risk assessors told us that the risk of the introduction
of any animal disease posed by this find was very low, it was
important for us to take action.
“These latest results confirm our initial thinking that the leg
belonged to a local animal. Interim testing by an independent
zoologist suggested that it could have been from an exotic deer or
goat. However, this validation testing has disproved that.
“Changes have already been made to the Import Health Standard for
PKE to confirm that unapproved facilities cannot be exported to New
Zealand. In addition, a small number of processing facilities will
need to improve their systems to keep birds and rodents out of
storage facilities.
“These changes came into effect on 19 June and a senior official is
now working on these changes with authorities in Malaysia and
Indonesia.
“I would like to thank the Bay of Plenty farmer for bringing this
find to our attention. It is a good example of the important role
farmers play in our biosecurity system. Farmers know what’s
happening on their farms. If they spot anything of biosecurity
concern they should ring our 0800 number, that’s what happened
here.”
If anyone has any information regarding a possible biosecurity risk,
they should call the MPI pest and diseases hotline on 0800 80 99 66.
ENDS