Pedigree herds now have a unique opportunity to develop each of their breeds to be world class in health and genetics, to make beef from suckler and dairy herds more profitable and to develop export markets worldwide for Irish genetics. To ensure this, herds need to implement strategic whole-herd health programmes.
IBR, leptospirosis and salmonella need to be, and can be, controlled by implementing a vaccination control programme and introducing biosecurity measures.
Biosecurity measures can be divided into bio-exclusion, which is avoiding the introduction, and bio-containment, which is avoiding the spread within the herd.
A Johne’s control programme should be implemented in all herds, with annual testing of all females over two years of age allowing each herd to demonstrate a herd with a minimal risk of infection. However, with Neospora, we need to have breeding females free from infection.
Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) is also called Bovine Herpes Virus-1’ (BoHV-1). The disease spreads between cattle and can cause the nose and upper airways to become inflamed.
IBR infection is very common in Irish beef and dairy herds – between 70% and 80% of all Irish herds contain at least one animal infected with IBR.
Vaccinating cows for IBR. \ Donal O'Leary
The following clinical signs may be caused by (but are not unique to) IBR infections: dullness and reduced appetite, high body temperature, rapid and loud breathing sometimes with coughing, inflammation inside the nose and in the pink of the eye (conjunctiva), fluid discharge from nose and eyes.
IBR affects the cattle trade – this is the biggest issue the export of Irish cattle is facing.
IBR-infected animals and embryos cannot be traded to many regions and countries in the EU that are free of IBR (Denmark, Bavaria in Germany, regions of Italy, Austria, Finland, Sweden) or have an approved IBR control programme (all other regions of Germany, regions of Italy and the Czech Republic) (2004/558/EC).
Non-EU countries that are IBR-free (Norway, Switzerland) also restrict entry of test-positive animals. In addition, animals that have IBR antibodies following infection or vaccination with conventional (non-marker) or marker vaccines cannot enter semen collection centres in Ireland.
How IBR virus multiplies within and across herds
The first time an animal is infected by the virus is called the primary infection. This is the only step commonly accompanied by clinical signs, but these can vary from very mild to severe.
The infected animal sheds a lot of virus that can infect other animals. The animal mounts an immune response and antibodies are readily detectable after approximately three weeks. Infected animals are the most important source of infection for their comrades.
The first time an animal is infected by the virus is called the primary infection. This is the only step commonly accompanied by clinical signs, but these can vary from very mild to severe.
After recovery from primary infection, the virus survives within the nerves of the infected animal without causing any clinical signs. The animal is now a carrier, but does not shed the virus. This is called a latent infection.
Latently infected carrier animals are almost always detectable by antibody testing.
During periods of stress, the virus can reactivate within a latently infected animal, causing a secondary infection that usually has no clinical signs. Virus is shed again and can spread to other animals, potentially starting new primary infections in naïve animals.
How IBR spreads from animal to animal and between farms
Spread by introducing stock: the introduction of latently-infected animals (that are carriers but have no signs of disease) is the most common way for IBR to spread between herds. In Ireland, because of the high prevalence of IBR in the national herd, purchased animals should be considered as latently infected unless proven otherwise.Spread by close contact between animals: close contact with cattle from other herds is the next most common method for IBR to spread between herds. Activities that allow direct or close contact (3m to 5m) between animals from different herds include: inadequate perimeter fencing; mixing stock for husbandry activities, at pasture, agricultural shows, marts or during transport; or animals breaking into /out of farms (and mixing with a neighbour’s stock).Spread by indirect contact (fomite spread): infected fluids (eg nasal discharge) that contaminate hands, clothing, farm equipment (nose-tongs, crush, etc), feed or vehicles can spread IBR between herds. Farm visitors who have close contact with stock may transfer the virus if they do not change or clean and disinfect their outer clothing and wash hands when moving between. Farm staff who contact stock in other herds pose a similar risk.Different uses of vaccination in herd control
To reduce clinical signs in the face of an outbreak: vaccination can be used to reduce the clinical impact of IBR. Evidence suggests that live vaccines offer better protection against clinical signs of IBR than inactivated vaccines.
Evidence suggests that live vaccines offer better protection against clinical signs of IBR than inactivated vaccines.
To reduce reactivation and spread from latent carriers in infected herds: vaccination can also be used to reduce the reactivation and spread of virus when trying to reduce the number of latent carriers in a herd. This requires maintenance of an elevated level of immunity in both latently-infected and naïve animals. To achieve this, complete and regular herd vaccination is required.
To provide herd immunity in IBR-free herds: in herds that are already IBR-free, vaccination may be used to provide some protection against infection. This offers the advantages of reducing the potential impact of a subsequent breakdown of bio-exclusion.
The safest animal entering any herd is one that has been tested negative for IBR and vaccinated. However, care needs to be taken that any animals intended for semen collection should not be vaccinated.
The disease is caused by the organisms collectively referred to as Leptospira hardjo (L. borgpetersenii serovar hardjo and L. interrogans serovar hardjo).
The main risk factors for leptospirosis are purchase of infected cattle, common grazing with infected cattle or sheep, purchase or hire of an infected bull or access to contaminated water.
Of these risk factors, certainly transfer of infection from infected cattle to uninfected cattle would be more important than sheep or contaminated water. In Ireland, the prevalence of lepto is over 70% in dairy and beef herds.
Lepto localises in the kidney and the uterus. Persistency in the kidney is associated with a persistent shedding of lepto over a prolonged period in the urine.
Infection in the reproductive tract in the very early stages of pregnancy is associated with early embryonic death. Later in pregnancy, it can be associated with abortion, or in very late pregnancy either stillbirth or the birth of weak calves.
In the udder, it can be associated with acute clinical disease, with milk drop syndrome and obvious mastitis changes in the milk.
Leptospirosis is a zoonosis. That means it can be passed on to humans from animals
Leptospirosis is a zoonosis. That means it can be passed on to humans from animals – farmers, farm employees and their families.
Normally, lepto manifests as flu-like symptoms in humans, with headaches, joint and muscle pain, depression and lethargy and will often go unnoticed and undiagnosed. On occasion, there can be potentially life-threatening meningitis and occasional mortalities.
As the bacteria localise in the kidneys, it is passed in the urine. Therefore, splashes of urine from cattle on to the eyes or exposed broken skin or inhalation can cause infection. Wearing gloves and protective clothing at milking and calving will reduce exposure.
Vaccination will prevent clinical disease. However, no vaccine is 100% effective. Vaccines will not clear the carrier status – this is very important. Treatment with antibiotics can certainly stop the urinary shedding of hardjo, as it can eliminate the carrier status from the kidney in 99% of cases.
Salmonella, like leptospirosis, is a zoonosis. Abortion due to salmonella is by far and away the most important manifestation of salmonella in Irish cattle. However, scour and diarrhoea can cause huge losses on individual farms and you can have high calf mortality.
Salmonella is considered a difficult disease to eradicate due to the creation of carrier animals. However, it can be controlled by biosecurity, vaccination and hygiene, especially in calf housing.
In all pedigree herds, annual vaccination for IBR, lepto and salmonella is recommended. Vaccinations in all cases work to reduce clinical signs of an outbreak, to reduce spread from carriers in infected herds and to provide herd immunity in free herds.
Neospora caninum is a major cause of abortion in both dairy and beef cattle in Ireland. It can occur at any stage of pregnancy, but often peaks at five to six months of gestation.
Neospora may be associated with sporadic abortions or occasionally with abortion storms.
It can also result in early abortions, mummifications and increased empty rates. Neospora may be associated with sporadic abortions or occasionally with abortion storms.
Neospora is particularly serious, because infected animals remain infected for life. They may abort more than once and any live full-term calves they produce may be born infected, allowing infection to be passed from generation to generation.
Cattle can become infected with neospora in two ways. An infected dam will give birth to an infected calf, but most of the time it becomes infected while still in the womb. Cattle may become infected by ingesting feed or water contaminated by Neospora oocysts (eggs) in the faeces of an infected dog.
Dogs can be infected by ingesting placental tissue, foetuses, uterine fluids or dead animals infected with neospora. Once infected, a dog will remain infected for life, but typically it passes oocysts in its faeces (ie is capable of infecting cattle) for only a brief period (up to a few weeks) after acquiring the initial infection.
There is no need to get rid of existing farm dogs. Even if one of these had been the source of the neospora infection, it should have stopped shedding oocysts by the time abortions started. Following infection, dogs will shed once for around three weeks and do not usually shed oocysts again.
Diagnosis of neospora in a herd is made following an abortion investigation that shows neospora as the cause or blood-testing animals in late pregnancy 10 to four weeks pre-calving for antibodies.
The cause of all abortions that occur in a herd should be investigated. When the foetus, placenta and a maternal blood sample are submitted for laboratory examination, the likelihood of a diagnosis increases.
Currently, there is no practical treatment or vaccination available. In pedigree herds, all positives should be fattened and slaughtered. It is important that positive females should not be sold to other breeding herds.
Currently, there is no practical treatment or vaccination available. In pedigree herds, all positives should be fattened and slaughtered.
Females of high genetic merit can be flushed prior to slaughter to retain progeny from them. Embryos that are obtained from neospora-positive donor animals and transferred into neospora-negative recipient animals will result in neospora-negative progeny.
In all pedigree herds, freedom from neospora should be the aim. Biosecurity is the key. Avoid the introduction to your herd through infected females or food contaminated with dog faeces and, if diagnosed in your herd, take measures to eradicate it.
Johne’s disease is a bacterial disease of cattle and other ruminants for which there is no cure. It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), hence the other name for the disease - paratuberculosis.
Johne’s disease causes adult cattle to waste and die. Clinical signs of diarrhoea and weight loss usually occur in cattle over two years of age. In heavily infected herds, this leads to a high rate of wastage in cattle at three to five years old.
The signs of infection appear very gradually, with reduced feed conversion efficiency leading to loss of productivity, followed by weight loss, scour and ultimately emaciation and death.
Very commonly, signs of Johne’s disease won’t be visible until the animal has had three or more calves. However, even before signs are seen, the cow’s resistance to other infections may have already been weakened and she may well have been culled for mediocre performance due to mastitis, lameness or poor fertility, without this even having been linked to Johne’s disease.
Cattle usually become infected as calves early in life by drinking or eating milk or food contaminated with the bacteria, which are shed in the dung or milk of infected adult cattle.
On occasion, calves are already infected at birth, with this being most common when their dam has advanced disease. Sometimes one infected calf can infect pen-mates early in life.
Once infected, the disease progresses slowly and silently. The signs of disease will vary depending upon the stage of infection, how many bacteria the calf swallowed, how soon after birth this happened and how quickly the gut wall has become damaged.
How is it transmitted?
MAP infection is usually introduced to a herd by purchasing infected breeding stock including bulls. It is often a single infected animal. Another important route of entry on to the farm is contaminated colostrum or slurry.
Once the disease is in the herd, it will spread slowly and progressively to other animals, particularly young stock, as they come into contact with dung from an infected animal or drink infected colostrum or milk.
How is Johne’s Disease Controlled?
Once infection is present on a farm, it is important to limit opportunities for calves to swallow the bacteria by removing the sources of infection and maintaining excellent standards of calf hygiene. The more successfully this is done, the fewer calves will be infected and the healthier they will be.
By the time an infected animal tests positive on blood or milk, it is highly likely to be shedding the bacteria in dung and milk.
Therefore, these animals should be prioritised for culling, as once they remain in the herd they are a source of contamination of the environment.
Remember that a high standard of hygiene within the calf environment is crucial, ie calf areas must be kept clean and free of adult cattle dung.
These measures will not only help protect them from Johne’s disease but also from other bacteria and viruses, particularly those causing diarrhoea and pneumonia.
Importantly, the bacteria causing Johne’s disease can be transmitted in colostrum and milk, both through the direct excretion of the bacteria in the milk of MAP-infected cows and the contamination of milk with faeces, eg dung-contaminated teats.
Annual testing of all females and males over two years is recommended on all pedigree herds.
Positive animals, once confirmed, need to be culled immediately. Calf hygiene is crucial in ensuring that calves under one year old avoid the ingestion of faeces, milk or colostrum from infected animals.
It is important that positive females should not be sold to other breeding herds.
Showing and exhibiting are important components of pedigree breeding worldwide. Every industry has a showcase to demonstrate what it has to offer.
International purchasers visit shows and farms to view and understand the industry and seek synergies with its own industry back at home.
What happens outside the white rope is as important as what happens within it.
Of course, showing adds a degree of risk with disease transfer, but, if managed correctly, we can protect the disease status of the cattle by having herd health programmes on farm, vaccination programmes and isolating the show cattle when returning home.
The future of our breeds is dependent on attracting and retaining the brightest and best breeders and scientists to work in the industry.
The future of our breeds is dependent on attracting and retaining the brightest and best breeders and scientists to work in the industry. The best geneticists are those with a massive enthusiasm for the breed, combined with an inherent knowledge of the industry.
We need to attract these people at a young age, get them involved and excited about it to allow them to develop an understanding of it.
The ringside is the ideal meeting place for like-minded people with an interest in showing and breeding cattle to discuss and exchange views on all breeding issues.
If they enjoy it, they will choose it as a career.
Pedigree herds now have a unique opportunity to develop each of their breeds to be world class in health and genetics, to make beef from suckler and dairy herds more profitable and to develop export markets worldwide for Irish genetics. To ensure this, herds need to implement strategic whole-herd health programmes.
IBR, leptospirosis and salmonella need to be, and can be, controlled by implementing a vaccination control programme and introducing biosecurity measures.
Biosecurity measures can be divided into bio-exclusion, which is avoiding the introduction, and bio-containment, which is avoiding the spread within the herd.
A Johne’s control programme should be implemented in all herds, with annual testing of all females over two years of age allowing each herd to demonstrate a herd with a minimal risk of infection. However, with Neospora, we need to have breeding females free from infection.
Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) is also called Bovine Herpes Virus-1’ (BoHV-1). The disease spreads between cattle and can cause the nose and upper airways to become inflamed.
IBR infection is very common in Irish beef and dairy herds – between 70% and 80% of all Irish herds contain at least one animal infected with IBR.
Vaccinating cows for IBR. \ Donal O'Leary
The following clinical signs may be caused by (but are not unique to) IBR infections: dullness and reduced appetite, high body temperature, rapid and loud breathing sometimes with coughing, inflammation inside the nose and in the pink of the eye (conjunctiva), fluid discharge from nose and eyes.
IBR affects the cattle trade – this is the biggest issue the export of Irish cattle is facing.
IBR-infected animals and embryos cannot be traded to many regions and countries in the EU that are free of IBR (Denmark, Bavaria in Germany, regions of Italy, Austria, Finland, Sweden) or have an approved IBR control programme (all other regions of Germany, regions of Italy and the Czech Republic) (2004/558/EC).
Non-EU countries that are IBR-free (Norway, Switzerland) also restrict entry of test-positive animals. In addition, animals that have IBR antibodies following infection or vaccination with conventional (non-marker) or marker vaccines cannot enter semen collection centres in Ireland.
How IBR virus multiplies within and across herds
The first time an animal is infected by the virus is called the primary infection. This is the only step commonly accompanied by clinical signs, but these can vary from very mild to severe.
The infected animal sheds a lot of virus that can infect other animals. The animal mounts an immune response and antibodies are readily detectable after approximately three weeks. Infected animals are the most important source of infection for their comrades.
The first time an animal is infected by the virus is called the primary infection. This is the only step commonly accompanied by clinical signs, but these can vary from very mild to severe.
After recovery from primary infection, the virus survives within the nerves of the infected animal without causing any clinical signs. The animal is now a carrier, but does not shed the virus. This is called a latent infection.
Latently infected carrier animals are almost always detectable by antibody testing.
During periods of stress, the virus can reactivate within a latently infected animal, causing a secondary infection that usually has no clinical signs. Virus is shed again and can spread to other animals, potentially starting new primary infections in naïve animals.
How IBR spreads from animal to animal and between farms
Spread by introducing stock: the introduction of latently-infected animals (that are carriers but have no signs of disease) is the most common way for IBR to spread between herds. In Ireland, because of the high prevalence of IBR in the national herd, purchased animals should be considered as latently infected unless proven otherwise.Spread by close contact between animals: close contact with cattle from other herds is the next most common method for IBR to spread between herds. Activities that allow direct or close contact (3m to 5m) between animals from different herds include: inadequate perimeter fencing; mixing stock for husbandry activities, at pasture, agricultural shows, marts or during transport; or animals breaking into /out of farms (and mixing with a neighbour’s stock).Spread by indirect contact (fomite spread): infected fluids (eg nasal discharge) that contaminate hands, clothing, farm equipment (nose-tongs, crush, etc), feed or vehicles can spread IBR between herds. Farm visitors who have close contact with stock may transfer the virus if they do not change or clean and disinfect their outer clothing and wash hands when moving between. Farm staff who contact stock in other herds pose a similar risk.Different uses of vaccination in herd control
To reduce clinical signs in the face of an outbreak: vaccination can be used to reduce the clinical impact of IBR. Evidence suggests that live vaccines offer better protection against clinical signs of IBR than inactivated vaccines.
Evidence suggests that live vaccines offer better protection against clinical signs of IBR than inactivated vaccines.
To reduce reactivation and spread from latent carriers in infected herds: vaccination can also be used to reduce the reactivation and spread of virus when trying to reduce the number of latent carriers in a herd. This requires maintenance of an elevated level of immunity in both latently-infected and naïve animals. To achieve this, complete and regular herd vaccination is required.
To provide herd immunity in IBR-free herds: in herds that are already IBR-free, vaccination may be used to provide some protection against infection. This offers the advantages of reducing the potential impact of a subsequent breakdown of bio-exclusion.
The safest animal entering any herd is one that has been tested negative for IBR and vaccinated. However, care needs to be taken that any animals intended for semen collection should not be vaccinated.
The disease is caused by the organisms collectively referred to as Leptospira hardjo (L. borgpetersenii serovar hardjo and L. interrogans serovar hardjo).
The main risk factors for leptospirosis are purchase of infected cattle, common grazing with infected cattle or sheep, purchase or hire of an infected bull or access to contaminated water.
Of these risk factors, certainly transfer of infection from infected cattle to uninfected cattle would be more important than sheep or contaminated water. In Ireland, the prevalence of lepto is over 70% in dairy and beef herds.
Lepto localises in the kidney and the uterus. Persistency in the kidney is associated with a persistent shedding of lepto over a prolonged period in the urine.
Infection in the reproductive tract in the very early stages of pregnancy is associated with early embryonic death. Later in pregnancy, it can be associated with abortion, or in very late pregnancy either stillbirth or the birth of weak calves.
In the udder, it can be associated with acute clinical disease, with milk drop syndrome and obvious mastitis changes in the milk.
Leptospirosis is a zoonosis. That means it can be passed on to humans from animals
Leptospirosis is a zoonosis. That means it can be passed on to humans from animals – farmers, farm employees and their families.
Normally, lepto manifests as flu-like symptoms in humans, with headaches, joint and muscle pain, depression and lethargy and will often go unnoticed and undiagnosed. On occasion, there can be potentially life-threatening meningitis and occasional mortalities.
As the bacteria localise in the kidneys, it is passed in the urine. Therefore, splashes of urine from cattle on to the eyes or exposed broken skin or inhalation can cause infection. Wearing gloves and protective clothing at milking and calving will reduce exposure.
Vaccination will prevent clinical disease. However, no vaccine is 100% effective. Vaccines will not clear the carrier status – this is very important. Treatment with antibiotics can certainly stop the urinary shedding of hardjo, as it can eliminate the carrier status from the kidney in 99% of cases.
Salmonella, like leptospirosis, is a zoonosis. Abortion due to salmonella is by far and away the most important manifestation of salmonella in Irish cattle. However, scour and diarrhoea can cause huge losses on individual farms and you can have high calf mortality.
Salmonella is considered a difficult disease to eradicate due to the creation of carrier animals. However, it can be controlled by biosecurity, vaccination and hygiene, especially in calf housing.
In all pedigree herds, annual vaccination for IBR, lepto and salmonella is recommended. Vaccinations in all cases work to reduce clinical signs of an outbreak, to reduce spread from carriers in infected herds and to provide herd immunity in free herds.
Neospora caninum is a major cause of abortion in both dairy and beef cattle in Ireland. It can occur at any stage of pregnancy, but often peaks at five to six months of gestation.
Neospora may be associated with sporadic abortions or occasionally with abortion storms.
It can also result in early abortions, mummifications and increased empty rates. Neospora may be associated with sporadic abortions or occasionally with abortion storms.
Neospora is particularly serious, because infected animals remain infected for life. They may abort more than once and any live full-term calves they produce may be born infected, allowing infection to be passed from generation to generation.
Cattle can become infected with neospora in two ways. An infected dam will give birth to an infected calf, but most of the time it becomes infected while still in the womb. Cattle may become infected by ingesting feed or water contaminated by Neospora oocysts (eggs) in the faeces of an infected dog.
Dogs can be infected by ingesting placental tissue, foetuses, uterine fluids or dead animals infected with neospora. Once infected, a dog will remain infected for life, but typically it passes oocysts in its faeces (ie is capable of infecting cattle) for only a brief period (up to a few weeks) after acquiring the initial infection.
There is no need to get rid of existing farm dogs. Even if one of these had been the source of the neospora infection, it should have stopped shedding oocysts by the time abortions started. Following infection, dogs will shed once for around three weeks and do not usually shed oocysts again.
Diagnosis of neospora in a herd is made following an abortion investigation that shows neospora as the cause or blood-testing animals in late pregnancy 10 to four weeks pre-calving for antibodies.
The cause of all abortions that occur in a herd should be investigated. When the foetus, placenta and a maternal blood sample are submitted for laboratory examination, the likelihood of a diagnosis increases.
Currently, there is no practical treatment or vaccination available. In pedigree herds, all positives should be fattened and slaughtered. It is important that positive females should not be sold to other breeding herds.
Currently, there is no practical treatment or vaccination available. In pedigree herds, all positives should be fattened and slaughtered.
Females of high genetic merit can be flushed prior to slaughter to retain progeny from them. Embryos that are obtained from neospora-positive donor animals and transferred into neospora-negative recipient animals will result in neospora-negative progeny.
In all pedigree herds, freedom from neospora should be the aim. Biosecurity is the key. Avoid the introduction to your herd through infected females or food contaminated with dog faeces and, if diagnosed in your herd, take measures to eradicate it.
Johne’s disease is a bacterial disease of cattle and other ruminants for which there is no cure. It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), hence the other name for the disease - paratuberculosis.
Johne’s disease causes adult cattle to waste and die. Clinical signs of diarrhoea and weight loss usually occur in cattle over two years of age. In heavily infected herds, this leads to a high rate of wastage in cattle at three to five years old.
The signs of infection appear very gradually, with reduced feed conversion efficiency leading to loss of productivity, followed by weight loss, scour and ultimately emaciation and death.
Very commonly, signs of Johne’s disease won’t be visible until the animal has had three or more calves. However, even before signs are seen, the cow’s resistance to other infections may have already been weakened and she may well have been culled for mediocre performance due to mastitis, lameness or poor fertility, without this even having been linked to Johne’s disease.
Cattle usually become infected as calves early in life by drinking or eating milk or food contaminated with the bacteria, which are shed in the dung or milk of infected adult cattle.
On occasion, calves are already infected at birth, with this being most common when their dam has advanced disease. Sometimes one infected calf can infect pen-mates early in life.
Once infected, the disease progresses slowly and silently. The signs of disease will vary depending upon the stage of infection, how many bacteria the calf swallowed, how soon after birth this happened and how quickly the gut wall has become damaged.
How is it transmitted?
MAP infection is usually introduced to a herd by purchasing infected breeding stock including bulls. It is often a single infected animal. Another important route of entry on to the farm is contaminated colostrum or slurry.
Once the disease is in the herd, it will spread slowly and progressively to other animals, particularly young stock, as they come into contact with dung from an infected animal or drink infected colostrum or milk.
How is Johne’s Disease Controlled?
Once infection is present on a farm, it is important to limit opportunities for calves to swallow the bacteria by removing the sources of infection and maintaining excellent standards of calf hygiene. The more successfully this is done, the fewer calves will be infected and the healthier they will be.
By the time an infected animal tests positive on blood or milk, it is highly likely to be shedding the bacteria in dung and milk.
Therefore, these animals should be prioritised for culling, as once they remain in the herd they are a source of contamination of the environment.
Remember that a high standard of hygiene within the calf environment is crucial, ie calf areas must be kept clean and free of adult cattle dung.
These measures will not only help protect them from Johne’s disease but also from other bacteria and viruses, particularly those causing diarrhoea and pneumonia.
Importantly, the bacteria causing Johne’s disease can be transmitted in colostrum and milk, both through the direct excretion of the bacteria in the milk of MAP-infected cows and the contamination of milk with faeces, eg dung-contaminated teats.
Annual testing of all females and males over two years is recommended on all pedigree herds.
Positive animals, once confirmed, need to be culled immediately. Calf hygiene is crucial in ensuring that calves under one year old avoid the ingestion of faeces, milk or colostrum from infected animals.
It is important that positive females should not be sold to other breeding herds.
Showing and exhibiting are important components of pedigree breeding worldwide. Every industry has a showcase to demonstrate what it has to offer.
International purchasers visit shows and farms to view and understand the industry and seek synergies with its own industry back at home.
What happens outside the white rope is as important as what happens within it.
Of course, showing adds a degree of risk with disease transfer, but, if managed correctly, we can protect the disease status of the cattle by having herd health programmes on farm, vaccination programmes and isolating the show cattle when returning home.
The future of our breeds is dependent on attracting and retaining the brightest and best breeders and scientists to work in the industry.
The future of our breeds is dependent on attracting and retaining the brightest and best breeders and scientists to work in the industry. The best geneticists are those with a massive enthusiasm for the breed, combined with an inherent knowledge of the industry.
We need to attract these people at a young age, get them involved and excited about it to allow them to develop an understanding of it.
The ringside is the ideal meeting place for like-minded people with an interest in showing and breeding cattle to discuss and exchange views on all breeding issues.
If they enjoy it, they will choose it as a career.
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