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Bovine Johne's disease
How is the dairy industry managing Johne's disease? | Beef Only | A new approach to BJD | JDCAP | TCP2 | Notes on BJD | Useful external sites | Other documentation
About BJD
Bovine Johne's (pronounced 'yo-nees') disease is a fatal wasting disease of cattle, goats, alpaca and deer. Bovine Johne’s disease is often abbreviated to BJD, and is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium paratuberculosis. These bacteria can survive 12 or more months in a favourable environment, such as swampy or wet areas of a farm.
Cattle are usually infected when less than 12 months of age. However, due to a long incubation period, clinical disease is often not seen until the affected animal is 4 or 5 years of age or older. Signs of the disease may appear after a period of stress such as calving, poor nutrition, or after a period of heavy milk production. |
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How is the dairy industry managing Johne's disease?
Bovine Johne’s disease has been recognised as a herd health and herd production issue for beef and dairy cattle for some time. State Departments of Agriculture in the have in the past adopted different approaches to management of the disease. In 2003, under the auspices of Animal Health Australia, the cattle industries and governments agreed to a national, less regulated, approach to Johne’s disease in cattle in Australia.
The dairy industry is part of this national program that aims to:
- Reduce the contamination of farms and farm products by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (the organism that causes Johne’s disease)
- Protect the status of non-infected herds and regions
- Reduce the social, economic and trade impact of Johne’s disease at herd, regional and national levels.
Animal Health Australia (external link) coordinates the national bovine Johne’s disease program.
A number of research priorities for beef and dairy have been identified, together with the need for a national communication strategy.
The dairy industry, through the National Dairy Industry Steering Committee, and in conjunction with the national bovine Johne’s disease program, has agreed to implement the following strategies to manage Johne’s disease in cattle:
| 1. | Introduction of a herd scoring system based on the risk having of Johne’s disease in the herd. This will facilitate trade of dairy cattle in a less regulated environment and provide a pathway for herds to progress with Johne’s disease control.
The score is a simple method of scoring ALL dairy herds in relation to their risk of having, or spreading, bovine Johne’s disease. Herds will have a score of 0 to 10 depending on where the herd is in Australia, the history of Johne’s disease in the herd, the history and outcomes of testing for Johne’s disease, and the calf rearing practices in the herd.
See the Agriculture Note on dairy bovine Johne’s disease (BJD) assurance score for more information. The attached Dairy BJD Assurance Score Declaration form uses a step by step format to help you work out the appropriate score for the group of cattle that you have for sale. If you need assistance you should contact your dairy factory field staff, your private veterinary practitioner or your local DPI animal health staff. Remember, the score you give your cattle must be correct and must be supported by documentary evidence that can be inspected by an auditor.
Dairy BJD Assurance Score Declaration Form (PDF 94KB)
The following document is in PDF format. If you do not have the Acrobat PDF reader you can download a free copy from Adobe Acrobat (external link).
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| 2. | Incorporation of a three step calf-rearing requirement into On-farm Quality Assurance Programs, to ensure that hygienic practices reduce the opportunity for transmission of infections within herds.
For more information on the three step calf rearing plan see the following agreed components or speak to your dairy factory technical field staff. |
The management practices that minimise the risk of Johne's (BJD) infection in cattle under 12 months of age that should be implemented, and will be known as the 3-step calf rearing program, are as follows:
(i) Calves should be taken off the cow within 12 hours of birth.
(ii) Management of the calf rearing area should ensure that no effluent from animals of susceptible species comes into contact with the calf.
(iii) Calves up to 12 months should not be reared on pastures that have had adult stock or stock that are known to carry BJD on them during the last 12months.
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| 3. | Development of a cost effective herd test, to underpin the herd classification system and to identify herds with greatest risk for contamination by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (the organism that causes Johne’s disease).
This research is currently underway at the PIRVIC Attwood site in Victoria. Results of what will probably be the first in a series of projects examining diagnostic tests that can be used at herd level and herd/milking/management factors that may result in faecal contamination of milk, will be available in November 2005 on this website. |
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| 4. | Implementation of a major Johne’s disease communication and training strategy for the dairy industry, to provide a “learning package” to assist industry achieve the goals of the National Approach to bovine Johne’s disease.
The need for a national dairy industry Johne’s disease communications and training package has been strongly endorsed by the National Dairy Industry Steering Committee and it is currently underdevelopment by Dairy Australia. Contact Dr Andrew Padula at Dairy Australia or visit Dairy Australia (external link) for more information. |
Beef Only - A new way of trading cattle in South Eastern Australia
Bovine Johne's disease (BJD) mainly occurs in dairy cattle in southern Australia. The new Beef Only status recognises that there are few pure beef herds known to be infected with BJD and that testing of these types of herds has found that the great majority test negative.
The assurance from Beef Only comes from each herd's own biosecurity and a history of trading only within that low risk sector of the cattle industry.
Extensive trials of the Beef Only scheme in Victoria, NSW and Tasmania in early 2004 showed that it is possible, with minimal regulatory activity, to conduct a sale of cattle selected by vendors to meet the Beef Only criteria, that has integrity, is readily auditable, and has broad industry acceptance.
As a result Animal Health Committee agreed in July 2004 that herds that qualify as Beef Only may trade breeding cattle into BJD Protected Zones of NSW, South Australia and Tasmania in future without the herd of origin having to be tested.
More recently, animal health authorities in Queensland agreed that herds that qualify as Beef Only may trade breeding cattle into that state.
So now, herds that meet the Beef Only standard and declare it on an Animal Health Statement, may now move breeding cattle through much of Australia without testing for bovine Johne's disease.
(Note: If you are considering sending Beef Only cattle interstate you should contact your local DPI Animal Health staff to obtain details of any additional testing or documentation that may be required to allow the movement of cattle)
How can a herd qualify to sell Beef Only cattle?
Cattle can qualify for Beef Only if:
The herd of origin
| 1. | Does not include animals that have been part of a herd which is currently classified as Infected (IN), Suspect (SU) or Restricted (RD) according to the National Johne's Disease Standard Definitions and Rules (SDR) for Cattle (4th Edition December 2002) and,
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| 2. | Has not grazed with dairy cattle or dairy-cross cattle at any time during the previous five (5) years, unless those dairy cattle were from a herd enrolled in the Australian Johne's Disease Market Assurance Program for Cattle (Cattle MAP) and,
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| 3. | Has not, at any time in the past, grazed on land that had been grazed by adult dairy cattle (2 years old or older) during the 12 months before the arrival of the beef herd, unless those dairy cattle were part of a CattleMAP herd.
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And the individual cattle presented for sale
| 4. | If introduced into the herd or onto the property(s), have come from herds which are of the same (Beef Only) or higher status (BC-TAS, MN1, MN2, MN3) for Bovine Johne's Disease (BJD) and came with an Animal Health Statement or BJD vendor declaration, and
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| 5. | Are identified under the National Livestock Identification Scheme (NLIS).
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| 6. | All animals must be identified on, and accompanied by, a National Animal Health Statement for Bovine Johne's Disease Status of Beef Cattle issued by the owner/person in charge of the animals, which declares that all the above criteria have been met.
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Wanting to sell Beef Only cattle?
If your herd qualifies as Beef Only and you want to sell cattle as Beef Only contact your livestock agent or local DPI district veterinary officer, animal health officer or cattle adviser.
Private sales, video sales, stud and store sales may all include Beef Only cattle, provided the Beef Only lots are identified with NLIS, are accompanied by a correctly completed Beef Only AHS, are marked as Beef Only by a pen card (or something similar) and are separated from cattle of a lower status. Regular auditing by DPI staff will be undertaken to ensure the integrity of the Beef Only scheme.
Animal Health Statements (AHS) are available from livestock agents, Animal Health staff at your nearest DPI office or can be downloaded from this site.
Looking to buy Beef Only cattle?
If your herd is in south-eastern Australia and not infected with BJD, you will probably want to protect that situation. Cattle presented for sale and declared as Beef Only represent a low risk for BJD. Ask your livestock agent for information about likely Beef Onlyvendors
Please note however that cattle from untested Beef Only herds are NOT eligible for entry to:
- CattleMAP herds
- Northern Territory Protected Zone for BJD, or
- Western Australia.
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Attachments
The following documents are in PDF format. If you do not have the Acrobat PDF reader you can download a free copy from Adobe Acrobat (external link).
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A new approach to Bovine Johne’s disease in Victoria
There is now a new approach to bovine Johne’s disease (BJD) in Victoria aimed at minimising the potential for contamination of product and farms with the Johne’s disease bacterium and giving farmers practical and achievable ways to improve their BJD herd status.
The program, developed by a working group comprised of farmers and representatives of dairy processors, the Dairy Research and Development Corporation, Dairy Food Safety Victoria, the Australian Dairy Corporation and government, focuses on product quality, reducing the economic and social impacts of the disease and limiting the spread of the disease to unaffected herds.
Key elements of the program are:
- Inclusion of three essential calf-rearing procedures in all on-farm Quality Assurance programs.
- Implementation of the Johne’s disease calf accreditation program (JDCAP) as a pre-requisite for access to subsidised herd testing and as a mechanism by which herds can produce “low-risk” cattle.
- A revised test and control program (TCP2) which will be available to all infected herds.
- A revised hierarchy of herd status’, which defines herds undertaking active control or management measures as low risk, as compared to the unknown, but possibly high risk associated with Non-Assessed (Nil-Assurance) herds.
- Support for the development of a cost-effective bulk-milk-screening test for BJD.
- An evaluation of the future role of vaccination in BJD control.
The new BJD program is unique in that it takes a “whole of chain” approach to disease control.
Read the working party report:.
A proposed new approach to Bovine Johne's disease (BJD) Control for the Victorian Dairy Industry - May 2003 (PDF 86KB)
View the Powerpoint presentation:\
New approaches to BJD in the Victorian Dairy Industry - 25.06.03 (PDF 263KB)
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The Johne’s disease calf accreditation program (JDCAP)
The Johne’s disease calf accreditation program (JDCAP) is a voluntary, rigorously audited, calf-rearing program designed to minimise the risk of spreading BJD, should it be present, from adult cattle to the replacement calves reared within a dairy herd.
The program aims are achieved by:
- Preventing calves from coming into contact with manure and dairy effluent from adult cattle.
- Reducing exposure to potentially contaminated milk/colostrum by limiting the contact between the dam and its calf to the minimum required to ensure transfer of colostral immunity to the calf.
- Raising awareness amongst cattle breeders that calves can contract infection while in their mother’s womb.
All herds are eligible to join the accreditation program, regardless of their BJD status. The herd status will not change just because participating herds are in JDCAP. However calves produced under the JDCAP will have a lower risk of having BJD than calves from non-participating herds of equivalent BJD status.
Contact your private veterinary practitioner to get more detail about JDCAP or to join the program.
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TCP2
TCP2 is a subsidised herd-testing program based on annual blood testing of herds by accredited private veterinary practitioners. It is an integral part of the new BJD program. All currently infected herds are eligible to enter the program, but dairy herds must also be participating in JDCAP. Participation in the testing program will:
- Provide new pathways for trading low risk cattle from infected herds
- Promote avenues to minimise the impact on land values, and
- Provide a control program with achievable end-points for all affected producers
The new bovine Johne’s disease program recognises the importance of preventing the spread of the disease while putting in place many practical options to help farmers control BJD on their farm.
Access the BJD Test and Control Program Application Form:
Victorian Johne's Disease Test & Control Program Application - Dairy Herd (PDF 14KB)
Victorian Johne's Disease Test & Control Program Application - Beef Herd (PDF 14KB)
View the Powerpoint presentation:
A New Approach to herd testing for Johne's disease in Victoria dairy cattle herds 8.11.06 (PDF 132KB)
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Notes on Bovine Johne's disease
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External sites with useful information on Bovine Johne's disease
Please Note: By electing to visit the links below, you will be leaving the DPI website.
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Other documentation on Bovine Johne's disease
The following documents are in PDF format. If you do not have the Acrobat PDF reader you can download a free copy from Adobe Acrobat (external link).
Review about BJD by th Department's Chief Scientists (September 2001) (PDF 114KB)
Beef Cattle - Trade Assurance Scheme (PDF 22KB)
Bovine Johne's Disease: Beef Cattle - Trade Assurance Scheme (Vendor Declaration) (PDF 93KB)
Application for Testing Subsidy and Notification for Johne's Disease in Beef Cattle (PDF 35KB)
Johne's Disease Check Test Certificate (PDF 57KB)
Statement by supplier form (Reasons for quoting an ABN for an enterprise) - Australian Taxation Office Form (external link)
For further information, please go to the media release from the Office of the Minister for Agriculture.
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