Farmers fear cattle tick fever outbreak
Posted
There are concerns another outbreak of cattle tick fever in the Tweed Valley.
A tail smear was taken from a dairy cow that died recently and Col Brooks, from the Tweed Combined Rural Industries Association, says local producers are fearing the worst.
Fifteen cattle died on two far north coast properties last April after being infected by the disease.
Mr Brooks says it may take two to three weeks for conclusive blood tests to be carried out, but a positive result could force a rethink of government policy.
"It's very unusual to have any cattle tick activity in the middle of winter as we are at present," he said.
"I guess it appears that there's a lot more about the cattle tick and its lifecycle that the authorities don't understand rather than what they do understand."
