Farmers are slipping behind with their paperwork, and it's being blamed for the spread of a cattle disease.

It follows another confirmed case of cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis, this time on an Ashburton farm.

The disease has been found on 14 farms, all but one are in the South Island.

Ministry for Primary Industries response incident controller David Yard told Tim Dower farmers aren't putting the effort in to record their stock with the national tracking scheme.

He said that's making for a lengthy search for the disease on other properties.

"The system will only work if farmers register the movement of animals into the system, and what we're finding is that many farmers have become complacent not recording the movement of animals.

"It's proving extremely challenging for us to identify where all the animal movements are being made so we have to go and interview every farmer in detail to see if they can recall who they sold animals to and who they received.

"We are working, I know the minister has serious concerns over this and we are working to improve the system."

Public meetings will be held in Ashburton and Methven tomorrow.

He said screening between farms is a good idea.

"Because if they get it it is quite important they don't allow their animals to come in contact with their neighbours."

Milk sampling was carried out before Christmas, although the near 600 animals on the property showed no signs of illness.

Dairy NZ chief executive Tim Mackle said uncertainty of visible illness and fear of spreading is stressful for farmers.

"We really don't have the clearest picture right now of where this disease is and where it is not. Testing continues and we are well over I think 50,000 tests have been performed now."

LISTEN ABOVE AS DAVID YARD SPEAKS WITH TIM DOWER