The Alberta dairy industry has committed to work together to promote an awareness and education initiative to minimize the spread of Johne’s Disease (JD) in dairy herds.  The Alberta Johne’s Disease Initiative is:

• driven by producers
• designed to meet the needs of our dairy industry
• built on the foundation of the nationals standards created as part of the Canadian Johne’s Disease Initiative
• coordinated by the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
• endorsed by Alberta Milk

What is it? 
The initiative consists of four elements:

• education
• an on-farm JD risk assessment and JD management plan
• research on JD and ways to improve the initiative and monitor its success, and
• JD Herd Status for herds that have participated in Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development’s Herd Status program, or those producers desiring to proceed beyond implementing prevention and/or control measures for JD.

Is Johne’s Disease a problem? Prevalence surveys estimate up to 50 per cent or more dairy herds have at least one cow infected with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP).  Because the sensitivity of most JD tests depends on the stage of infection with MAP, most surveys underestimate the true prevalence of MAP-infected cows and herds.  The financial impact on herds infected with this production-limiting disease is dependent upon the prevalence of infected cows in the herd.


What is the objective of this initiative?
The objective is to increase the awareness of JD in the Alberta dairy industry and encourage the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) that will reduce the risk of JD entering the herd, or spreading within the herd if MAP is already present in one or more animals.


How do I participate?
Participation will be strictly voluntary.  Those producers wishing to participate will have their veterinarian complete an on-farm herd JD Risk Assessment that examines management practices used on the farm that may influence the spread of MAP.  Following completion of the risk assessment and a discussion of the results, the veterinarian and producer agree on a herd-specific JD Management Plan.  The producer will implement the plan over the coming year to reduce the risk of MAP entering the herd, or spreading within the herd should it already be present.

Click here for a list of vets that are qualified to do Risk Assessments for the Johne’s program. 

Looking for more information on the Alberta Johne’s Disease Initiative? Contact Emily McDonald, Industry Development Coordinator, Alberta Milk, 780-577-3307 or Toll-free: 1-877-361-1231 ext. 3307
emcdonald@albertamilk.com.