Johne’s Still a Costly Animal Health Problem in Dairies

Recent research shows how it can be effectively controlled.

Johne’s disease continues to be a costly economic challenge for dairy producers. But results from recent long-term, on-farm research trials in Wisconsin have shown that there is no good reason this disease can’t be reined in. Mike Collins, DVM, PhD, a professor and researcher at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, says recent results from trials begun in 2002, on nine commercial dairies, showed that Johne’s disease can be cost-effectively controlled and possibly eradicated.

Dr. Collins believes the time has come for the dairy industry to be proactive in controlling the spread of Johne’s in order to reduce the cost of its treatment. Results from the 2007 USDA National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) Dairy Survey indicated that 68 percent of U.S. dairy herds were infected with mycobacterium paratuberculosis, the organism that causes Johne’s disease, compared to 22 percent in 1996. 

Many Infected Herds

• If your herd is not infected, avoid buying infected animals. In the U.S., roughly one in 20 dairy replacement animals purchased from random farm sources is infected with the cause of Johne’s disease, according to Dr. Collins.“Many will say the cost for doing this is too high or that it is impossible. I answer that the cost only seems highuntil your herd becomes infected. Then you realize how much more costly it is to control or eradicate the problem.”
• If your herd is infected, don’t despair. It is now known that the disease can be cost-effectively controlledusing field-tested methods. But it does take time—at least 6 years for effective control and probably twice that long for eradication, depending on how heavily infected the herd is in the first place.
• Don’t delay or avoid finding out if your herd is infected.
• If you do have Johne’s disease in your herd, take immediate steps and try to control it. If you don’t, the disease will slowly but surely spread until cull ratesare climbing, milk production is declining and profitability is disappearing. If you ignore this disease too long, and management can’t control the infection, it will put your dairy out of business, Dr. Collins emphasizes.

Diagnostic Tests

He explains that herd-level tests, such as environmental fecal culture, are simple, accurate and affordable. “Your Johne’s Certified Veterinarian can collect manure from six specific locations on the farm and establish if your herd is infected with M. paratuberculosis or has such a low level of infection that it is not a significant economic problem for the herd. The cost for sample collection and laboratory charges will be less than $300 for most typical herds.”

• Industry-driven programs with market incentives for sale of livestock and milk from herds that are on a Johne’s program.
• Breed organizations regulating themselves and requiring that animals sold through breed-sanctioned sales are test-negative. “They should set targets for the future to ‘raise the bar’ and create even stronger programs based on herd-level testing.”
• Cooperatives and processors setting standards that require every producer to certify that they have been educated and understand Johne’s disease. They could also require herds to have a Risk Assessment and Management Plan in place or offer to partially pay for animal-level testing as is being done in The Netherlands. 

More Johne’s Disease Information Sources

QUICK TIPS: Reducing Johne’s Disease Risks

• Cows should always calve in a clean pen.
• Only cows testing ELISA-negative for Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, the causative organism of Johne’s disease, should be used as colostrum donor cows.
• Thoroughly clean teats of colostrum donor cows before collecting colostrum.
• For newborn calves, administer at least four quarts of colostrum from one test-negative cow (three quartsfor Jerseys) within four hours after birth.
• Remove calves from the maternity pen as soon as possible after birth.
• House calves away from the cow herd.
• Maintain good hygiene practices, especially for heifer rearing.
• Ensure manure does not contaminate feed or water.
• Collect blood for Johne’s testing from lactating cows during the last third of their lactation.
• Cull all strong-positive testing cows before freshening.
• Visually identify all test-positive cows.
• Provide separate maternity pens for test-positive versus test-negative cows. 

Colostrum Replacer: A Tool in Johne’s Control Programs

Feeding colostrum replacer can be an important tool in helping eliminate the risk of transmitting diseases, such as Johne’s, through maternal colostrum. When attempting to break a cycle of maternally transmitted disease, or when colostrum is in limited supply or of low quality, colostrum replacer has been proven to be a reliable management tool to help ensure that calves get a good start in life. In research trials, calves fed a colostrum replacer containing at least 125 grams of globulin protein within 24 hours after birth performed as well as calves fed maternal colostrum.1