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New Zealand
authorities confirmed plans on Monday to slaughter roughly 150,000 cows in
attempt to eliminate a strain of disease-causing bacteria which threatens the
nation’s economy.
Bacteria
Mycoplasma bovis can cause such
ailments as mastitis, pneumonia, and arthritis.
Already present in the US and
Europe, it has never been successfully eradicated before.
The
recently cropped-up bacteria strain has been found on 38 New Zealand farms thus
far and, according to officials, is expected to spread.
Slaughter
24,000
animals have already been killed in the launch of a mass-scale slaughter which
will cost the country an estimated $886 million NZD – and won’t necessarily spare healthy animals.
The bodies
of cows killed are set to be sold as meat, buried, or dumped in
landfills.
Should a
farmer protest the slaughter, New Zealand authorities can legally force the process.
Economy
Prime
Minister Jacinda Ardern have made it clear the aim of the slaughter is to
protect New Zealand’s economy, which reportedly relies heavily on the animals’ deaths and exploitation.
Federated
Farmers National President Katie Milne said the process represents a ‘rough
time’ for the farmers, adding that they ‘have to support them as neighbours,
community members, farmers, friends’.
It is
unclear whether she made any mention of the 150,000 cows set to die as part of
the eradication attempt.
