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September 08, 2010 |
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 Canadian Johne’s Disease Initiative What is the Canadian Johne’s Disease Initiative?
Overview:
The Canadian Johne’s Disease Initiative (CJDI) was created to reduce the prevalence of Johne’s Disease (JD). JD is a costly disease of ruminant animals and a potential trade barrier that affects the sustainability of livestock agriculture in Canada. JD in cattle is caused by an organism (Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis- MAP) that may have human health implications. The CJDI is a collaborative activity of industry, governments, and veterinary schools. The initiative is led by Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC), the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) and the Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC). The CJDI will address national communication, education, data collection and research. Provinces will implement their own livestock JD control programs.
Currently the dairy industry is targeted for the first activities. The CJDI encourages provincial delivery of the Prevention Pathway of the JD program for dairy herds. Quebec, PEI, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have initiated their own provincial JD programs. Other provinces, including Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Alberta have participated in a pilot project to assess the proposed national approach. Producers and veterinarians should communicate with their provincial contact, as listed below, to learn more about ongoing activities in their own provinces.
Background:
Funding from the Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food Program (ACAAF) and industry, with leadership from CCA, DFC and CAHC, resulted in the development of the Canadian Voluntary Johne’s Disease Prevention and Control Program (2005-6). A follow-up project (2008-9) developed guidelines for the national coordination of provincially-delivered JD control programs and initiated a plan for moving forward.
Purpose:
The CJDI will work to highlight the importance of JD prevention at the national level and coordinate key activities beneficial to provincial JD programs, such as: working group networking, interaction with other national initiatives, educational forums, communications, MAP research priority setting and the study of a future JD Status program for seed-stock producers. The CJDI will remain vigilant of opportunities to combine JD programs with other production-limiting and trade-linked diseases or food safety programs, to streamline delivery to Canadian veterinarians, beef and dairy producers. JD prevention in Canada is a targeted management assistance approach, not a regulatory program.
Prevention Pathway program on the farm:
Many private veterinary practitioners have received training in the standard risk assessment approach to JD prevention. To initiate the Johne’s Disease Prevention Pathway on the farm, a trained veterinarian works with the herd owner to gather the herd’s history related to JD and make recommendations about testing and the use of the risk assessment document to evaluate management practises related to the spread of MAP. Finally, the herd owner and the veterinarian develop a plan to implement cost effective Best Management Practices (BMPs) to minimize JD in the herd. Confidentiality of results is strictly maintained.
Provincial contacts:
March 31, 2009
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