GreenerGrass
Member
- Location
- Wilts
Just had a second animal go down with Johnes in my flock. I was speaking with my vet and it seems popular options are:
1. Carry on as normal, but aggressive cull any thin/older animals and potentially their lambs.
2. Take bloods twice a year and cull any positives - and maybe join accreditation scheme.
Option 2 would work out very expensive and even after many years there is no guarantee that the flock would be clear, and option 1 seems a less expensive (albeit unscientific and less rigorous approach)
But I was reading about Gudair Vaccine, which is once for life and supposedly reduces risk of infection, reduces chance of infection going clinical. Their website says: "Gudair vaccine has been extensively trialed and shown to reduce Johne's deaths and faecal shedding by over 90%. Experience in NZ and Australia shows that Johne's losses become insignificant in vaccinated stock."
The vet didn't know the price, but farmacy price suggests maybe in the region of £3/dose (1ml), and given it is once for life I think this makes sense as a route to go down. My vet said she doesn't have commercial sheep farmers who do it, but does have goat herds who do with good success (cows are banned from it). Anyone on here looked at it - really looking for additional experience?
1. Carry on as normal, but aggressive cull any thin/older animals and potentially their lambs.
2. Take bloods twice a year and cull any positives - and maybe join accreditation scheme.
Option 2 would work out very expensive and even after many years there is no guarantee that the flock would be clear, and option 1 seems a less expensive (albeit unscientific and less rigorous approach)
But I was reading about Gudair Vaccine, which is once for life and supposedly reduces risk of infection, reduces chance of infection going clinical. Their website says: "Gudair vaccine has been extensively trialed and shown to reduce Johne's deaths and faecal shedding by over 90%. Experience in NZ and Australia shows that Johne's losses become insignificant in vaccinated stock."
The vet didn't know the price, but farmacy price suggests maybe in the region of £3/dose (1ml), and given it is once for life I think this makes sense as a route to go down. My vet said she doesn't have commercial sheep farmers who do it, but does have goat herds who do with good success (cows are banned from it). Anyone on here looked at it - really looking for additional experience?
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