Johne's disease: how to spot and report the disease
Advice on what to do if you suspect there is an outbreak of this infectious disease.
Impact on farm business
If uncontrolled, Johne's disease will have a financial impact on your dairy business. Particular impacts include:
Milk production
Milk production may be impaired before other clinical signs are evident, but the loss of production may not be recognised as due to Johne's disease. By the time signs of diarrhoea and wasting are obvious, milk yield will be significantly affected. Total milk yield and thus income from the herd could be significantly decreased.
Risk of other disease
Infected cattle are more susceptible to other diseases such as mastitis and, because they have difficulty maintaining body condition, their fertility is poor. Treatment of these conditions is expensive, and you will have to consider the costs of replacing culled stock.
Value of breeding stock
The capital value of your breeding stock could also be reduced if there is demand for stock or milk from herds that can be certified as tested free of Johne's disease.
Benefits of controlling Johne’s disease:
- reduce or prevent your production losses and income that result from this disease
- increase the value of your breeding stock if your herd is certified as free of the disease