Right now, there are more dairy herds in the United States that are free of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis—known as Johne’s disease—than there are herds infected.

Between 18% and 40% of the country’s dairies are infected with it, according to USDA’s 1996 National Animal Health Monitoring Service (NAHMS) study. Forty percent of large herds (300+ cows) are likely to be infected while 18% of the herds with fewer than 50 cows are probably infected.

Johne’s experts and industry leaders want to keep infected herd numbers as low as possible. And they need your help. They want you to consider the long-term health of your herd and the U.S. dairy industry. They hope you’ll take the initiative, cope with the cost and inconvenience, and make an appointment for your herd to be tested for Johne’s. They want you to enroll in the new U.S. Voluntary Johne’s Disease Herd Status Program for Cattle.

"The overall program goal is to identify, protect and add value to Johne’s-negative herds and to promote equity among the states," says Leslie Bulaga, USDA-APHIS-VS, Robbinsville, N.J., co-chair of the National Johne’s Working Group herd certification subcommittee.

Approved by the U.S. Animal Health Association at its annual meeting in October, the status program is more flexible and producer-friendly than its predecessors. It’s cheaper and fewer tests are required, too.

You decide how aggressively you want to identify the Johne’s risk in your herd. You enroll your herd in one of two status program tracks—standard or fast. In each track, you decide if and when to advance from an entry level up to level 4, the highest possible level. With each step up, you’re increasing the certainty that your herd is clean. When a herd achieves level 4 and remains there, it’s safe to assume there is negligible risk of infection from Johne’s. However, the program itself does not certify animals free of Johne’s disease.

To get started, call your state veterinarian or breed association for information on how to enroll and obtain a copy of the new voluntary Johne’s disease status program. You’ll be encouraged to first complete a farm evaluation to see if your operation is at risk for spreading Johne’s disease. Plan on discussing management practices, such as colostrum feeding, animal and manure handling and biosecurity measures with an accredited veterinarian.

To enter the standard track, you’ll randomly select 30 cows in their second lactation, or higher, and have blood samples drawn for the Johne’s ELISA test. Negative test results qualify the herd for level 1 status.

"The standard track is easy and gets the producer’s toe in the water," Bulaga says. "It gives him a look into the herd and confidence to test further."

To attain level 2, the ELISA tests must come back negative on a statistical subset of second-lactation, or higher, cows. To attain level 3, fecal cultures on 30 second-lactation, or higher, cows must be negative. And to attain level 4, negative ELISA tests on a statistical subset of second-lactation, or higher, cows are needed. You maintain level 4 status by achieving negative ELISA results on 30 second-lactation, or higher, cows every 10 to 14 months.

To enter the fast-track method, you must first sign a statement declaring that you’re fully aware of the management and disease history of the herd and property for the past five years, and that there is no Johne’s in the herd. Then you’ll run the ELISA test on blood samples from a statistical subset of second- lactation, or higher, cows. In smaller herds, all cattle second-lactation, or higher, cows must be tested. In herds with fewer than 30 second-lactation, or higher, cows, first-lactation animals must also be tested. Negative test results qualify the herd for level 2 status.

"For the average herd, this is a whole herd ELISA test. This gives enough confidence for the herd to jump to level 2," Bulaga says. "We’re relying on honesty up front. But if a producer isn’t honest [with providing accurate herd information], it will catch up with him later."

To advance to level 3 in fast track, you need negative fecal culture results on 30 second-lactation, or higher, cows. And to advance to level 4, you need negative ELISA results on a statistical subset of second-lactation, or higher, cows. Level 4 fast track is maintained the same as level 4 standard track with ELISA testing.

"Any time you get a positive test, you can get out of the program or you can appeal," Bulaga says.

If you add cattle, certain requirements must be followed to upgrade the additions to your herd’s level. Otherwise, your herd’s status will revert to the status of the lowest animal if the requirements are not met.

Bulaga estimates relative costs of the tracks, based on lab testing, which varies from state to state, to be around $3,080 for the standard track and $1,710 for the fast track (see table). The latter is lower in cost since participants skip level 1 testing and fewer fecal samples are required in level 3.

"We hope anyone who sells replacement stock will test their herd and anyone who buys replacements will require herd testing," she says. "The No. 1 way to get Johne’s is to buy it."