The amount of sheep measles being detected across the country is at a record low of 0.44 percent.
Ovis Management's Dan Lynch says the low prevalence of sheep measles being detected is testament to control measures implemented by farmers. Photo: RNZ / Cosmo Kentish-Barnes
Tapeworms in dogs produce eggs, which when passed to pasture in their faeces, are ingested by sheep.
The resulting parasitic infection doesn't make sheep sick but causes cysts on the meat, affecting its quality.
Ovis Management, owned by New Zealand meat companies, sheep measles and educates farmers on how to minimise it.
Project manager Dan Lynch said the record low level was testament to the hard work of farmers treating their dogs for tapeworm.
"It's difficult to control because it's a parasite and it replicates so quickly," he said.
"Part of the problem is that meat inspection and meat plants only pick up around about 20 percent (of cases) because the cysts are deep seated in the meat, so the place to stop infection is on-farm.
"That's why we celebrate this low prevalence - it shows farmers are doing a fantastic job without any regulatory control, of controlling this on-farm."
Lynch said it was vital the amount of sheep measles was kept low to avoid export issues.
"Going back in the early '90s, New Zealand did have issues with exports into overseas countries because of sheep measles and lamb and mutton products."
