Johnes Disease

[hobbsrbcc]

I have a cow who we think may have Johnes Disease. How do I protect the rest of my herd?

 

[msscamp]

why do you think that? I would get her out of the herd and have her tested. If she's shedding bacteria in her manure, and you run pairs you've already got animals that are probably infected. If you use a feed truck and use the same loader to clean corrals and load the feed truck, you've probably already got cows that are infected - again, if she's shedding bacteria in her manure.

PS How old is the cow in question?

 

[Beefy]

if youve got it youve got it. have her tested.

 

[hobbsrbcc]

She is one of our best looking beefmasters and now looks very thin. Another rancher that's been in the business all his life mentioned this possibility to my husband. She's between 3-4 years old.

 

[msscamp]

She is one of our best looking beefmasters and now looks very thin. Another rancher that's been in the business all his life mentioned this possibility to my husband. She's between 3-4 years old.

That's the right age for it to show up. Does she have a knot under her jaw? Here is a link for more information about Johnes Disease:

http://www.johnes.org

You can also google and get more information.

 

[Beefy]

i guess you tried worming her already?

 

[TJ]

had 2 year old get it sold her for $550 lost a lot of weight fast, and the runs all the time.

 

[TheBullLady]

There is no "cure" for Johnes, so best have her tested ASAP so you can determine what you need to do. If she is positive, you'll need to cull her, plus any of her offspring you've kept. Then you'll need to watch everything in the herd carefully. It's very contagious (through fecal material) and sometimes hard to get rid of.

Hardware sometimes has the same symptoms, so get her tested to be sure.

 

[msscamp]

If she does test positive for Johnes Disease, Federal Law states you can only sell her for slaughter.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Back up a little. If she is JUST thin, I would not be so quick to jump to Johnes. Johnes biggest indicator is SCOURS. They will have a great appetite, act normal, but will scour & lose weight even though they are eating normal.
Like someone else suggested - have you WORMED her?? Is she nursing a big calf? She may be putting all her energy into producing milk.
NORMALLY, Johnes will show up in a first calf heifer. It is activated by STRESS.
They acquire the disease as a new born or very young calf, and it doesn't "rear it's ugly head" until they are adults - like I said, usually as a first calving heifer, because that is usually the first real stress in their lives.
But, I'm a strong believer in having a whole herd test for Johnes. It's not easy because you can test and get a negative even tho they have Johnes. You need several herd tests to get a good idea if your herd is clear.

 

[shorty]

Does Johnes affect bulls as well as heiffers and at what age?

 

[TheBullLady]

Johnes affects bulls and heifers. Generally most bulls are made into steers and sent to the feedlot, so they don't live long enough to show symptoms. But yes.. bulls also get it, and can contaminate your ranch as well.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

It is sometimes less obvious with bulls, because they aren't stressed as much as a calving cow, but turn him in with a large group to breed, and it may show up. Just because cattle don't show the symptoms, do not mean they don't have it. Under really stress-free, high feed management, you may never know you have it.

 

[hobbsrbcc]

Thanks everyone for your replies. It turned out to be hardware disease.

 

[DD RANCH]

Thanks everyone for your replies. It turned out to be hardware disease.

So how did you come up with that conclusion?You need to do blood work for Johnes and it takes a few weeks or more to get results and how did you find out it was hardware?

 

[msscamp]

Thanks everyone for your replies. It turned out to be hardware disease.

I'm sorry she has hardware disease, but that beats the heck out of Johnes disease!

 

[MikeC]

Thanks everyone for your replies. It turned out to be hardware disease.

I'm sorry she has hardware disease, but that beats the heck out of Johnes disease!

Ain't that the truth! Last I checked Hardware ain't contagious!

 

[msscamp]

Thanks everyone for your replies. It turned out to be hardware disease.

I'm sorry she has hardware disease, but that beats the heck out of Johnes disease!

Ain't that the truth! Last I checked Hardware ain't contagious!

You have that exactly right!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I kinda thought the "experienced neighbor" might have jumped the gun on his diagnosis. Just being thin doesn't have to mean Johnes.

 

[hobbsrbcc]

We took her to the vet and that was his conclusion.