Evaluation of the Thuringian Bovine Johne’s Disease Control Program—A Case Study

Abstract

The Thuringian Johne’s Disease (JD) Control Program provides a voluntary approach to JD control in Thuringia, a federal state of Germany. The program has three objectives: reduce the level of infection when present; reduce the spread of JD to uninfected herds; and facilitate the certification and protection of herds that are non-suspect with respect to JD. The program offers pathways for the management of affected herds and for certification of herds with continuing negative tests. After the control stage (CS), a certification stage of at least 3 consecutive years with continuing negative results in the annual whole-herd test has to be passed until a herd can be certified as ‘non-suspect’ with respect to JD. This study focused on calf mortality in relation to JD herd status. In a longitudinal study, the association of annual calf mortality rate of a total of 93 dairy herds (13 ‘non-suspect’; 26 in control stage; 54 not enrolled) over 10 consecutive years with JD herd status was investigated using a generalized mixed linear model with repeated measures. Non-suspect herds had a lower calf mortality rate compared with other farms. We conclude that establishing JD control measures lowers the calf mortality rate.

Successful Control of Mycobacterium avium Subspecies paratuberculosis Infection in a Dairy Herd within a Decade—A Case Study

“…Nonetheless, a relevant percentage of the cattle farmers who enrolled in the TPCP claimed the elimination of MAP at the herd level is their goal. In 2020 a total of 58 farms with more than 18,000 cows were certified as ‘non-suspect’ regarding paratuberculosis [ 9 ], which corresponds to a rather high probability of freedom from paratuberculosis. Achieving this goal, even if the initial MAP shedder prevalence in the herd is high, is the peculiarity of this study.…”

“…The farm enrolled in the voluntary Thuringian Paratuberculosis Control Program (TPCP) in 2012. The program was described in detail elsewhere [ 8 , 9 ]. In brief, the program relies on the identification and removal of MAP shedders by the annual testing of individual faecal samples from all cows for MAP, an on-farm veterinary risk assessment resulting in tailored recommendations for improving hygiene management, the consideration of the paratuberculosis status of buy-in cattle with respect to the status of the herd of origin, and the certification of herds as ‘non-suspect’ after three years without detection of MAP in the yearly testing of each cow.…”

“…Additionally, during the years 2012–2015, primiparous cows that calved after the sampling day were sampled in monthly intervals together with cows whose faecal samples had no valid results because of undesired growth. Results of the bacteriological cultivation of faecal samples (faecal culture, FC) were used to manage MAP shedders and their calves according to farm-specific recommendations (Level 3, herds with MAP shedder prevalence >3%) or to remove MAP shedders in a timely manner (Level 4, herds with MAP shedder prevalence ≤3%) [ 9 ]. Individual faecal samples were taken rectally using a new glove for each cow and stripping the faeces into a screwable plastic cup with a barcode.…”

Detection of Low MAP Shedder Prevalence in Large Free-Stall Dairy Herds by Repeated Testing of Environmental Samples and Pooled Milk Samples

“…We conducted a prospective study in 36 large dairy herds housed in free stalls in Thuringia, federal state of Germany. All study herds participated in the voluntary Thuringian paratuberculosis control program, which has been described recently [ 42 , 43 ]. The paratuberculosis status of each herd and the within-herd prevalence of MAP-shedders were known from annual (in the case of MAP-infected herds) or biennial (in the case of herds certified as ‘MAP non-suspect’) individual testing of all lactating cows within a herd by fecal culture or real-time PCR.…”

“…The main breed was German Holstein, with a minor percentage of other breeds (Simmental, Jersey, Brown Swiss) or crossbred cows in several herds. A description of the Thuringian cattle population and the dairy industry has been given elsewhere [ 43 ].…”