What's New With Johne's - (Mycoplasma Paratuberculosis)
By Dr. Jeff Hookstead

Although still in the agricultural newspapers, magazines, and extension flyers, Johne's and the buzz surrounding it has faded from it's fevered pitch of eight plus years ago. The dairy industry, along with governmental agencies are still pushing to reduce the over all incidences within our nation's dairy herds. To that effect, there is still federal and state funds available to producers for testing, designing, and implementing management plans, etc.

From a cow health perspective, Johne's Disease and its transmission is still about how we handle the newborn calf. Cows which are clinically sick with Johne's (chronic diarrhea, low milk production, excessive weight loss) occasionally give birth to calves already infected with Johne's. More commonly, calves are infected after birth via ingestion of Johne's laidened feces, or consumption of milk which has the Johne's organism in it.

Standard recommendations still apply when trying to reduce the prevalence in a dairy herd:

1. Testing of the adult herd to help identify test positive cows.
2. Separate maternity pens for test positive and test negative cows.
3. Clean maternity pens.
4. Feed milk replacer or pasteurized waste milk only.
5. Prompt removal of newborns from the maternity pens.
6. Minimally one cow to one calf colostrums or feed colostrums from test negative cows only.
7. Minimize fecal contamination from adult cattle areas into young calf areas.

These are just a few of the recommendations associated with minimizing Johne's prevalence in your herd. For a more in-depth discussion on Johne's and what approach you should take in your herd, please call our office for an appointment.

 Return to Client Education

© Marsh View Veterinary Clinic, 2007
These articles are for your educational enjoyment. They may not be republished without the permission of Marsh View Veterinary Clinic. Please contact us at 920-326-3020 or 920-326-5738 if you have any questions.