Johne’s Control: An Atlantic Canada Success Story Greg Keefe DVM MSc MBA Atlantic Veterinary College University of Prince Edward Island

Overview of Disease Johne’s Disease (Yo-nees), Paratuberculosis Johne’s Disease (Yo-nees), Paratuberculosis Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) Chronic, Infectious Enteritis Chronic, Infectious Enteritis Milk production losses Milk production losses Premature culling Premature culling Reduced fertility Reduced fertility Diarrhea and emaciation Diarrhea and emaciation Photos courtesy of

Calf High risk of infection Fecal oral infection Colostrum risk No outward signs Infected cow May shed No overt signs Lower production Poor Reproduction Heifer Incubating Low risk of infection/shed No overt signs Lower production Clinical cow Shedding Chronic weight loss Diarrhea Lower production Median age between infection and shedding is 5 years Most animals get culled for low production before clinical

All Herds Infected Herds Infected Cows Infectious Cows Affected Cows

JD research in Atlantic Canada 15 years ago estimated that the prevalence was 17% of herds and about 2.5% of cows 15 years ago estimated that the prevalence was 17% of herds and about 2.5% of cows Blood test of 30 cows in each of 90 herds Blood test of 30 cows in each of 90 herds Focus on diagnostic test evaluation Focus on diagnostic test evaluation Determined the limitations of blood or milk testing Determined the limitations of blood or milk testing 20-40% of infectious cows 20-40% of infectious cows 10-20% of infected cows 10-20% of infected cows

Atlantic Johne’s Disease Initiative December 2009 industry meeting December 2009 industry meeting Economic Loss Economic Loss Decreased milk production Decreased milk production Culling and reproduction Culling and reproduction Cattle Movement Cattle Movement Infection reservoir cows Infection reservoir cows Movement = spread Movement = spread Market Access Market Access Competitive advantage for local genetics Competitive advantage for local genetics

Atlantic Johne’s Disease Initiative Program Pillars Program Pillars Education Education Infection control & prevalence reduction Infection control & prevalence reduction Research Research MQM lab is USDA proficiency tested for 5 Johne’s diagnostics

Education Website ( Website ( Mailings and media Mailings and media 47 certified veterinarians 47 certified veterinarians Delivering 1 on 1 farm specific management plan education to dairy producers Delivering 1 on 1 farm specific management plan education to dairy producers Economics Awareness Biosecurity Heifers

Control Program Herd Categorization Environmental Culture (EC) Voluntary Fully funded Risk Assessment & Management Plan (RAMP) Required if herd tested Fully funded Cow Testing Voluntary - EC positive herds eligible Partial funding

Herd categorization procedures Environmental culture (USDA) Manure samples from 6 sites on farm Cheaper than testing every cow No immediate cow data Interpretation of cow data complex in low prevalence farms No risk of “false positive” Whole Herd Milk ELISA (Ontario) DHI milk samples Cow data to cull very high titre animals False positive results – culling unnecessarily Risk that farmers rely on culling rather than “management”

Simulating Johne’s control Kudahl AB, Ostergaard S, Sørensen JT, Nielsen SS. A stochastic model simulating paratuberculosis in a dairy herd. Prev Vet Med Feb 16;78(2):

AJDI testing goals Minimize false test results Minimize false test results Motivate farmers to take MANAGEMENT actions Motivate farmers to take MANAGEMENT actions Ongoing herd and cow testing project Ongoing herd and cow testing project Focus on low within herd prevalence herds Focus on low within herd prevalence herds Dr. Carrie Lavers (PhD) Dr. Carrie Lavers (PhD)

Herd-level testing Environmental Culture Sensitivity 71.4% Specificity 98.6% (100%) Milk ELISA (2% cutoff) Sensitivity 55.7% Specificity 95.8%

Atlantic Johne’s Disease Initiative Program Launch: June 2011 Enrolled 459 unique herds

EC Herd Prevalence Round 1 Total Herds Tested 459 Total Herds EC Positive 88 (19.2%) 1/6 EC Sites Positive 23 (5.0%) 2/6 EC Sites Positive 13 (2.8%) 3/6 EC Sites Positive 4 (0.9%) 4/6 EC Sites Positive 7 (1.5%) 5/6 EC Sites Positive 4 (0.9%) 6/6 EC Sites Positive 37 (8.1%) EC Herd Prevalence

EC Herd Prevalence Round 2 Total Herds Tested 374 Total Herds EC Positive 84 (22.7%) 1/6 EC Sites Positive 23 (6.1%) 2/6 EC Sites Positive 9 (2.4%) 3/6 EC Sites Positive 10 (2.7%) 4/6 EC Sites Positive 8 (2.1%) 5/6 EC Sites Positive 6 (1.6%) 6/6 EC Sites Positive 29 (7.8%) EC Herd Prevalence

Predicting Within Herd Prevalence (Lavers research) 2/6 positive 6/6 positive

Overall Prevalence Total herds tested positive over 2 years = 118 Total herds tested positive over 2 years = 118 Cumulative prevalence = 25.7% Cumulative prevalence = 25.7% Identified 75% of those in year 1 and 25% only after second round Identified 75% of those in year 1 and 25% only after second round Very close to what would be predicted from Lavers research ! Very close to what would be predicted from Lavers research !

Benchmarking Atlantic Canada USDA study 2006 USDA study % of herds positive on single round 68% of herds positive on single round Alberta Alberta 26% positive in first round 26% positive in first round Higher rate in year 2 Higher rate in year 2 Different collection procedures Different collection procedures

Risk Assessment Scoring Risk Assessment Section Proportion of Maximum Risk Score EC (-)EC (+) Section 1: General Johne’s and Biosecurity 0.54 ( )0.69 ( ) Section 2: Calving Area 0.52 ( )0.55 ( ) Section 3: Pre-weaned Heifers 0.35 ( )0.39 ( ) Section 4: Weaned to First Calving Heifers 0.45 ( )0.50 ( ) Section 5: Dry Cows 0.38 ( )0.42 ( ) Section 6: Lactating Cows 0.39 ( )0.44 ( ) Section 1: Management Practices Proportion of Maximum Risk Score EC (-)EC (+) Access visitors have to cattle on the farm 0.78 ( )0.81 ( ) History of clinical Johne’s disease 0.25 ( )0.63 ( ) History of animal purchases 0.61 ( )0.78 ( ) Exposure to other farms, animals or manure 0.40 ( )0.42 ( )

Herd Management Plan Maximum of 3 Best Management Practices Maximum of 3 Best Management Practices Rank recommendations in order of priority Rank recommendations in order of priority Agreement between producer and vet Agreement between producer and vet

Recommendations for EC Negative HerdsFreq.Rank 1 Animals are not purchased (closed herd) 51%70% >90% of calves removed <30 minutes 33%38% No visitors or require clean clothing 23%42% Colostrum and milk bottle/bucket fed cleaning 21%36% Non-saleable milk never fed to calves 16%24% Recommendations for EC Positive HerdsFreq.Rank 1 Animals are not purchased (closed herd) 43%65% >90% of calves removed <30 minutes 31%53% No more than a single cow in calving area 21%15% Feed milk replacer/pasteurized milk 20%42% Feed pasteurized/artificial colostrum 18%45% Management Plan by EC Result

Why “Success” Exceeded targets for participation Exceeded targets for participation Highest of all voluntary programs Highest of all voluntary programs Hats off to program vets/industry steering group!!! Hats off to program vets/industry steering group!!! Education/extension success Education/extension success One on one One on one Prevalence moderate Prevalence moderate Lower than some regions (opportunity?) Lower than some regions (opportunity?) 9% of herds have substantial problem 9% of herds have substantial problem Can we build on this successful model? Can we build on this successful model?

Special Thanks Collaborators Collaborators Drs Shawn McKenna, Marcelo Chaffer, Carrie Lavers, Emilie Laurin, Karen MacDonald Phillips Drs Shawn McKenna, Marcelo Chaffer, Carrie Lavers, Emilie Laurin, Karen MacDonald Phillips AJDI & MQM Staff AJDI & MQM Staff Art Gennis, Norman Wiebe, MariaVasquez, Natasha Robinson and Theresa Andrews Art Gennis, Norman Wiebe, MariaVasquez, Natasha Robinson and Theresa Andrews AJDI Steering Committee AJDI Steering Committee Reint Jan Dykstra, Bloyce Thompson, Phillip Vroegh, Dr. Pauline Duivenrooden, Dr. Frank Schenkels, Richard Van Oord, Doug Thompson, Brian Cameron and Harry Burden Reint Jan Dykstra, Bloyce Thompson, Phillip Vroegh, Dr. Pauline Duivenrooden, Dr. Frank Schenkels, Richard Van Oord, Doug Thompson, Brian Cameron and Harry Burden

Check out this video bit.ly/HJhnjv bit.ly/HJhnjv Johne’s Disease in Canadian Dairy Herds -What is means to farmers Johne’s Disease in Canadian Dairy Herds -What is means to farmers By the U of Guelph MAP team – Steven Roche and Dave Kelton By the U of Guelph MAP team – Steven Roche and Dave Kelton