Producers will have additional tools to battle Johne’s disease in their dairy herds through a new project.
CanWest DHI, a non-profit milk recording organization, is leading and co-ordinating the project that will provide training to up to 75 western Canadian dairy veterinarians and increase the awareness and knowledge of the disease among producers in Ontario and Western Canada.
Funding for risk assessments, supported by Agriculture Canada, will also be available to 90 herds in British Columbia, 100 in Alberta, 40 in Saskatchewan, 70 in Manitoba and 400 in Ontario.
Richard Cantin, DHI’s director of marketing and customer service, said that will help farmers determine whether their herd is at risk and allow them to deal with it.
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Veterinarians will learn about assessing calf management and disease spread, and administering and interpreting the results of a new milk test for Johne’s provided by DHI.
Data will be collected and shared from the training and exchange of information, said Cantin.
“(Veterinarians) will be in a good position to provide recommendations to their clients,” he said.
Johne’s disease is a bacterial infection of the intestinal tract that impairs the absorption of nutrients, and can result in reduced milk production and in serious cases, thinning animals.
The $425,000 project began in December and is expected to conclude in the fall of 2007.
Producers interested in participating in the project can contact their local veterinarian for more information.
