Joe O’Flaherty, Animal Health Ireland’s (AHI) chief executive, was outlining the progress being made by AHI on Ireland’s various animal diseases.
On Johne’s disease (JD) – an infectious bacterial disease of cattle and other ruminants – O’Flaherty said that the big challenge with tackling the disease in Ireland is that the test used to diagnose it is less sensitive than that used for BVD.
“It is not as sensitive as the test for BVD, which is a very high-class, sensitive test, “ he said.
“Therefore we have to think of the test for JD more as a support for management of the disease,” he said.
Low prevalence
O’Flaherty added that the other significant constraint on getting rid of JD is that there is quite a low prevalence of the disease.
“This low prevalence translates into a weak economic driver for farmers to control the disease,” he said. “You don’t have the same economic effects on farms as you would with TB.”
O’Flatherty also said that it is not possible to eradicate JD.
“We have to think about eradication in the context of control rather than eradication. Sweden is the only country in which it is absent and was always absent. Once you have it in a country it is not possible to eradicate it completely, but it can be controlled. Our objective would be to substantially control JD.”
Pilot programme
A major pilot programme for the control of JD, led and coordinated by AHI, ran for three years, from 2014 to 2016, with the objective of determining the feasibility of establishing a future national voluntary control programme for the disease. At the conclusion of the pilot programme, 1,214 dairy herds were enrolled.
Following a period of consultation, hosted by AHI in the final quarter of 2016, and subsequent meetings of the JD Implementation Group, there appears to be general support amongst stakeholders for the continuation of national efforts to mitigate the risks relating to JD in Ireland.
“AHI has developed a draft business plan for such a programme, and in an imminent meeting of the JD Implementation Group will seek agreement of stakeholders on its commencement,” O’Flaherty said.
The draft objectives of the programme are as follows:
1. To provide additional reassurance to the marketplace in relation to Ireland’s effort to control JD and to mitigate antimicrobial resistance. 2. To enhance the ability of participating farmers to keep their herds clear of JD and to clear infection from their herds, if present.
3. To improve calf health and farm biosecurity in participating farms. 4. To reduce the requirement for antimicrobial usage in participating farms, consequent to improvements in animal health and biosecurity.The prevalence of Johne’s disease in Ireland
According to the most recent figures, the estimated prevalence of JD in Irish beef and dairy herds is 20% of dairy herds and 6% of beef herds.
Read more
Beef management: staying clear of Johne’s disease
Joe O’Flaherty, Animal Health Ireland’s (AHI) chief executive, was outlining the progress being made by AHI on Ireland’s various animal diseases.
On Johne’s disease (JD) – an infectious bacterial disease of cattle and other ruminants – O’Flaherty said that the big challenge with tackling the disease in Ireland is that the test used to diagnose it is less sensitive than that used for BVD.
“It is not as sensitive as the test for BVD, which is a very high-class, sensitive test, “ he said.
“Therefore we have to think of the test for JD more as a support for management of the disease,” he said.
Low prevalence
O’Flaherty added that the other significant constraint on getting rid of JD is that there is quite a low prevalence of the disease.
“This low prevalence translates into a weak economic driver for farmers to control the disease,” he said. “You don’t have the same economic effects on farms as you would with TB.”
O’Flatherty also said that it is not possible to eradicate JD.
“We have to think about eradication in the context of control rather than eradication. Sweden is the only country in which it is absent and was always absent. Once you have it in a country it is not possible to eradicate it completely, but it can be controlled. Our objective would be to substantially control JD.”
Pilot programme
A major pilot programme for the control of JD, led and coordinated by AHI, ran for three years, from 2014 to 2016, with the objective of determining the feasibility of establishing a future national voluntary control programme for the disease. At the conclusion of the pilot programme, 1,214 dairy herds were enrolled.
Following a period of consultation, hosted by AHI in the final quarter of 2016, and subsequent meetings of the JD Implementation Group, there appears to be general support amongst stakeholders for the continuation of national efforts to mitigate the risks relating to JD in Ireland.
“AHI has developed a draft business plan for such a programme, and in an imminent meeting of the JD Implementation Group will seek agreement of stakeholders on its commencement,” O’Flaherty said.
The draft objectives of the programme are as follows:
1. To provide additional reassurance to the marketplace in relation to Ireland’s effort to control JD and to mitigate antimicrobial resistance. 2. To enhance the ability of participating farmers to keep their herds clear of JD and to clear infection from their herds, if present.
3. To improve calf health and farm biosecurity in participating farms. 4. To reduce the requirement for antimicrobial usage in participating farms, consequent to improvements in animal health and biosecurity.The prevalence of Johne’s disease in Ireland
According to the most recent figures, the estimated prevalence of JD in Irish beef and dairy herds is 20% of dairy herds and 6% of beef herds.
Read more
Beef management: staying clear of Johne’s disease
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