Johne’s is a chronic, debilitating and irreversible infection of cattle which is common in many herds. While as few as 1-5% of cows in any year will show clinical signs of scour or wasting, more of the herd will be affected and suffer reduced output. Animals with Johne’s disease are likely to be culled earlier, and are also likely to be affected by other conditions, including chronic mastitis, lameness and high somatic cell counts.
Phase Two of the NJMP seeks to manage and reduce the incidence of Johne’s disease on farms through implementing one of the six strategies agreed by the group, and monitored on each farm by trained vets
With over 620 vets accredited by the BCVA in Johne’s advice and with over 82% of the milk supply pool within the Action Johne’s initiative and committed to supporting the NJMP, the Steering Group (including NFU, Dairy UK, AHDB and BCVA) in consultation with its milk processor members, have announced deadlines for compliance with the industry strategy which seeks to have 95% of the dairy supply in Great Britain brought into the NJMP by December 2019.
It has been agreed:
• A formal veterinary declaration needs to be signed by the farmer and his/her vet to state that an assessment of Johne’s risk and status has been undertaken on each farm in the last 12 months and that there is a written Johne’s management plan in place which has been agreed with the herd owner. By 31st October 2018 all farmers supplying purchaser members of the scheme will need to have completed this task and the declaration.
• A similar form will be re-circulated in late 2018, so from November 2019 we can make the level of engagement achieved by purchaser members publicly available on the Action Johne’s website.
- More information about the action group: http://www.actionjohnesuk.org/
- Resources for members: http://www.actionjohnesuk.org/johnes-resources/
- Johne's newsletters: http://www.actionjohnesuk.org/newsletters/
- More details on the industry participants: http://www.actionjohnesuk.org/action-group-johnes-participants/