My Advice

 

Looking back on the last few months I have to say I have learned quite a bit. Yes, it wasn’t a good situation but I do have to be thankful that I detected the disease before I had kids on the ground. I plan to continue testing in order to make sure my herd has the situation under control. Here are a few pointers from what I have learned so far.

 

When buying new animals get a physical copy of the test results.

 Adding new animals to a herd can put your herd at risk. Since the disease can sometimes be hard to detect its best to buy from breeders that test regularly. Ask the breeder to supply you with a copy of current test results. Copies of the test results can easily be obtained from a veterinarian or the test lab. If you are buying animals that are under a year of age, ask for the most recent results from the animal’s dam.

 

Invest in testing:  It’s really hard to control an infection if you don’t know the status of your animals! A little money invested early can spare you a few years of grief!

 

Don’t Panic: If you get a positive test result- consider your options. Talk to your vet about what they recommend. Remember- in order to tell 100% that you have Johne’s you may need to order a necropsy or at least confirm with a fecal test.

 

Use your resources: There are a lot of helpful people out there!  Ask your vet! Use the Johne's resource site. If you have specific questions access the “ASK THE EXPERT” link and obtain advice specific to your situation.