Johne's disease: how to spot and report the disease

Johne's disease prevention measures

There are several steps and practical measures that can be taken to manage Johne's disease, including:

• prepare a herd health and welfare plan with your vet that includes measures to control Johne's disease
• remove diseased cattle from the herd as early as possible. Do not breed from their offspring.
• discuss screening your dairy herd for Johne's disease infection with your vet, to establish if infection is likely to be present or to detect its occurrence as soon as possible - consider removing infected cattle before the disease develops
• Put in place strict hygiene on the farm, particularly at calving, herever possible, rear calves and young cattle away from adult faecal contamination - onfection is most likely to occur in the first few months of life
• make sure, wherever possible, that all calves only receive colostrum from their own mother. Do not feed pooled colostrum in infected herds
• do not feed calves discarded milk unless it has been heated to boiling point
• keep a closed herd, but if it is essential to buy in cattle, try to obtain stock from sources that can demonstrate they are tested free from Johne's disease.
• delay grazing young cattle on slurried pasture as long as possible and, if practical, for at least one year
• wherever possible, provide mains water and keep troughs clean - fence off rivers and other water sources if possible, especially ponds and other areas of stagnant water
• avoid co-grazing or sequential grazing with other livestock that can carry Johne's disease infection

The points above are suggested prevention measures. Steps taken to implement them on your farm should be discussed with your veterinary surgeon.