Managing JD in cattle
Animal Health Australia (AHA) coordinates the national JD in cattle Framework on behalf of the Australian beef and dairy industries, governments and veterinarians to help reduce the spread and impact of JD in Australia.
Sector approach to control and management
The dairy and beef industries have adopted a ‘sector’ approach to the control and management of the disease using common tools, such as sound farm biosecurity practices, testing, risk assessment and the Cattle MAP.
Beef sector
The national beef population has a very low level of JD. Co-mingling with dairy cattle or grazing on land previously grazed by dairy cattle are among the greatest risk factors for infection for a beef herd.
The Australian beef industry approach to JD promotes using tools, such as:
- JD biosecurity checklist and the Johne’s Beef Assurance Score (J-BAS) – a risk profiling tool
- animal health risk assessments and the Cattle Health Declaration (previously Statement).
Dairy sector
JD is more prevalent in the dairy industry than in the beef industry.
The Australian dairy industry approach to JD focuses on:
- minimising the risk of product contamination by promoting good dairy hygiene
- using the National Dairy Assurance Score as an industry qualitative risk assessment.
Related links
- JD in cattle tools
- Download the BJD fact sheet – Managing an Infected Beef Herd (pdf - 1 MB)
- National JD in cattle Framework