Control options for Johne's-infected beef herds

Summary

Owners of beef herds heavily infected with Johne's disease should consider their long-term prospects within the industry before embarking on an all-out eradication program. Control of the disease will certainly minimise production losses, but complete eradication will take a long time (sometimes up to 10 years), involve considerable trouble and expense (unless a more rapid destocking/separation approach is adopted), and there is no 100% guarantee of success.

The contents of this Primefact include the following:

• Introduction
• The 'do nothing' option
  • Detect/remove all infected animals
• Problems with control/eradication
• Principles of control/eradication
  • Control of spread within a herd
  • Eradication and the 'end-point'
• Approval of management plans
• Summary