7 Mar 2009

Dairy farms issued facial eczema alert

10:03 am on 7 March 2009

A facial eczema alert has been issued to dairy farms as warm and humid conditions send the disease danger soaring through much of the North Island.

Farm advisory and research body DairyNZ says a significant number of cows are showing clinical signs of facial eczema spread by spores in pasture.

DairyNZ says the North Island is still two to three weeks away from the traditional peak time for facial eczema, so prevention is still a realistic option for dairy farmers .