Awanui Veterinary has been able to provide a Mycoplasma bovis PCR testing service for healthy bulls since January 2018. We are now able to offer this test for other classes of stock and for suspect clinical cases of Mycoplasma infection. However, If you have strong suspicions of M. bovis infection you should still call MPI’s hotline (0800 809 966).

What samples can be tested?

• In suspect clinical cases fresh material or dry swabs can be tested. The most likely clinical samples are joint fluid, mastitis milk samples, or pneumonic lung.
• For testing clinically healthy animals oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal swabs are suitable on any animal. The organism hides in the tonsillar tissue so the swabs need to sample around the pharyngeal lymphoid tissue. Oral or nasal swabs are not sufficient.
• Bulk milk or colostrum can also be tested in dairy herds. Any client requests for PCR testing on bulk milk or individual milk samples will be charged at standard rate below.
• Semen, preputial and nasopharyngeal swabs are additional options for sampling bulls. Samples from different animals need to be tested separately and not pooled. Dry swabs can be taken from the prepuce but it is recommended that you use a Tricamper and put the sample in PBS*.

How do we collect samples from bulls?

Please see the NZVA procedure for nasopharyngeal swab technique and the NZVA procedure for preputial swab technique.

Reporting to MPI

Awanui Veterinary is obliged to report any detection of Mycoplasma bovis by PCR to MPI. MPI will confirm the result with further testing and report any positive results to the farmer (we are not allowed to report suspect positive results to submitting veterinarians). Please ensure you provide clear owner details, including farm address, on the submission form in the event MPI needs to contact you.

Please note: Because M. bovis can be intermittently shed by animals it may not be present in the sample taken even if the animal is infected, so the results will be reported as “not detected” rather than “negative”.

Turn-around time: 3-7 working days

Cost of testing: Please refer to our current price book

*Phosphate buffered saline (PBS) is the transport media required for these samples if a Tricamper is used for sampling and it can be ordered using our consumables order form.

If you have any questions or would like any further information, please contact Awanui Veterinary, Palmerston North (06 356 7100).