Tokaora

Diagnostics

Company

Tokaora Diagnostics was formed in late 2021 out of a desire to contribute positively to agriculture in NZ.

Following on from Frey’s research into facial eczema biomarkers, the potential for a quick and inexpensive test became apparent.

The passion we have for this project comes from a family background in farming and agricultural science.

Project

Facial Eczema Rapid Diagnosis Development

The alleviation of the economic, logistical, and mental toll of facial eczema on the farming community of NZ are key objectives of this project.

Over the next few months, Tokaora Diagnostics will develop a prototype of a commercial product (similar to a RAT test) which will enable facial eczema to be detected at low-cost and onsite by the farmer.  This will allow the disease to be better managed and reduce production losses. Better data regarding individual animals will facilitate more informed purchasing, breeding and culling decisions.

Team

Frey Livingston MSc – Chief Researcher

Pam Livingston BSc PGDipMgmt – Managing Director

What is facial eczema?

Facial eczema is a fungal disease that affects ruminants across NZ. The disease is induced by the consumption of Pithomyces chartarum spores which reside at the base of ryegrasses and multiply in warm, wet weather. These spores, once ingested by ruminants, produce the toxin sporidesmin in the gut. The cytotoxic effects of sporidesmin lead to irreversible degradation of the liver tissues and build-up of liver breakdown products, including phytoporphyrin and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT). Phytoporphyrin photosensitises the skin and leads to the characteristic skin lesions that give the disease its name.

There is an existing blood test that accurately detects the disease through the measurement of GGT, which increases in concentration in the blood in proportion to disease severity. Logistical restrictions and high costs prevent the use of this test across whole herds, as it requires specialised laboratory testing of blood samples. Facial eczema management has remained largely unchanged in the last 40 years, with the last significant breakthrough being the widespread adoption of slow-release zinc boluses in the 1980s.

Without accurate and holistic herd health data, farmers have limited ability to make decisions regarding disease management. The most accepted damage reduction measure is pre-emptive dosing with various forms of zinc which doses all animals equally, regardless of whether they have the disease.  Zinc has a prophylactic effect and is introduced in concordance with grazing management to limit the injury to the animals. It is a toxic mineral that can cause poisoning that in itself leads to production losses especially in higher doses. Challenges in the management of facial eczema are expected to intensify in coming years due to the effect of predicted climate change on the range and density of Pithomyces chartarum.

The individuals of the herd have differing susceptibility to facial eczema.  On farm testing will allow identification of  which animals are more resistant to the disease and a selective breeding program to be initiated.