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You are here: Agriculture » Pests, Diseases and Weeds » Animal Diseases » Sheep » Pathways Forward for Flocks Affected by OJD

Pathways Forward for Flocks Affected by OJD

Note Number: AG1124
Published: May 2007
Updated: January 2011

 

Under the national Assurance Based Credit (ABC) Scheme, flocks affected by OJD have a pathway forward to return to trading low-risk sheep.

Under the national ABC Scheme, developed by the sheep industry, flocks affected by ovine Johne’s disease (OJD) have several options to enhance their marketability. The program is based on an ABC score (Refer Agriculture Note: AG1156 Assurance Based Credits (ABC) Scheme and the Sheep Health Statement) that indicates the risk that the sheep have OJD.

What sheep can I trade?

All sheep in Australia have an ABC Score. Sheep with any ABC score can be traded within Victoria without restriction. Interstate entry requirements may include a minimum ABC score. 

How can I increase my ABC score?

It is recommended that owners of sheep flocks complete a Sheep Health Statement (SHS) when selling sheep, except for slaughter.  Affected (infected and suspected to be infected) flocks can only claim 0 credit points in Category A on the SHS.  They may, however, claim credit points under Category B (Testing), Category C (Vaccination) and/or Category D (Low-Risk Certification). Flock owners can manage their flock with the aim of accumulating credit points to provide assurances to prospective purchasers of the low risk status of their sheep.

Testing

Credit points can be obtained in Category B of the SHS by participation in SheepMAP, conducting Pooled Faecal Culture testing on a flock, or requesting abattoir surveillance to obtain Abattoir 150 or Abattoir 500 status.  These credit points may be used to increase the ABC score of a flock.

Vaccination

Over a period of years, if lambs in the flock are vaccinated annually, the flock ABC score will increase.  If replacement lambs are vaccinated every year, the flock will consist of only Approved Vaccinates relatively quickly (refer to Figure 1). 

Owners of sheep that are Approved Vaccinates can claim one credit point under Category C of the SHS. When the whole flock consists of Approved Vaccinates, two points can be claimed. Approved Vaccinates born when the whole flock were approved vaccinates are eligible for 3 points, and when the whole flock consists of second generation Approved Vaccinates, four points can be claimed under this Category.

For further information regarding vaccinating refer to the Agriculture Note: AG1133 Vaccinating sheep against ovine Johne’s disease.

				Age of sheep
		1	2	3	4	5
	1
	2
Year	3
Of	4
Vaccination	5
	6
	7
	8
	9
	10

 

	Not Approved Vaccinates
	Approved Vaccinates
	2 nd generation Approved Vaccinates

Figure 1. If lambs are vaccinated annually, the whole flock can consist of Approved Vaccinates in a relatively short period.

Certified low-risk mobs

If sheep are from an infected flock that has an approved Property Disease Management Program (PDMP) in place, a SheepMAP veterinarian can perform a risk assessment and certify that certain mobs in the flock are ‘low-risk’. This certification should always be obtained in writing. An extra credit point can be obtained for consignments of these mobs under Category D of the SHS.

In summary, the ABC Score, as indicated on a Sheep Health Statement (SHS), indicates the risk of sheep affected by OJD. There are options for producers affected by OJD which assist them to produce low-risk sheep, improving marketing opportunities using the ABC score.

Further information

Further information about OJD can be obtained from animal health staff at your local DPI office or on the DPI web site http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/farming/ojd or form the national OJD website http://www.ojd.com.au

Acknowledgement

This information note was developed by David Champness. May 2007.

It was reviewed by:

David Champness, Animal Health Field Services. November 2009.

Iain McLaren, Biosecurity Victoria. January 2011.