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Table 2 Management changes suggested to reduce the prevalence of Johne’s disease in a New Zealand, pastoral dairy herd infected with MAP

From: Control of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection on a New Zealand pastoral dairy farm

Management change required

1. Separation of all ELISA positive cows 1 month before and during calving.

2. No calves to be retained as heifer replacements if born to ELISA positive dams.

3. Colostrum and milk from all ELISA positive dams not to be fed to any replacement calves.

4. Calves to be housed in calf pens and physically separated from cows within 24 h of birth.

5. Calves to be grazed on paddocks to which adult cows (≥ 2 years) have not had access.

6. All cows to be annually blood tested in the autumn using a modified ELISA test with fPCR used to confirm the status of ELISA positive animals.

7. All animals testing high for the ELISA or fPCR to be culled from the herd before the end of the current lactation.

8. As many as possible additional but lower grade ELISA and fPCR positive cows to be included on the herd’s annual cull list.