A new national approach to the management of OJD (NAOJD) is in place following the end of the six year National Ovine Johne’s Disease Control and Evaluation Program (NOJDP).

The new approach, which commenced on 1st July 2004, has three main objectives:

• areas currently free of disease remain free,
• area prevalence will be maintained or reduced for the Very Low Prevalence, Low Prevalence and Medium Prevalence Areas, and
• area prevalence will be reduced in High Prevalence Areas such that prevalence area status may be reviewed in the longer term,

and is underpinned by four key elements:

• Removal of zones and zone-based trading restrictions,
• Establishment of prevalence areas,
• Establishment of a nationally agreed trading system using Sheep Health Statements and assurance-based credit (ABC) points,
• Unrestricted access to Gudair Vaccine.

Nationally accepted standards and practices for the NAOJD are documented on the Animal Health Australia website.

NSW has phased in a new approach to OJD management that is consistent with the NAOJD, and is underpinned by mandatory use of Sheep Health Statements.

While NSW includes four different prevalence areas, reflecting a gradient of estimated infection levels, the state is essentially managed in two parts.

The Management Areas, mainly comprising the higher prevalence areas, encourage producers to manage their own risk by using strategies such as vaccination, on-farm management and informed purchase of sheep.

The Exclusion Areas, comprising most of the very low prevalence regions, have demonstrated local producer support for self-funded and self-managed district programs designed to slow the potential spread of OJD into and within the area.