Producers issued Johne’s warning
There’s no cure for it, it can take years to show up and, once cattle get it, it’s a matter of time until they waste away and die. It’s Johne’s disease, and experts are warning producers to take it more seriously.
Dr. Cheryl Waldner, professor with the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Nadine Wohlgemuth, veterinarian with the Virden Animal Hospital, put the illness in their crosshairs during the Manitoba Beef and Forage Conference in Portage la Prairie on Oct. 30.
Johne’s disease, also known as paratuberculosis, is a chronic infection that gradually thickens the intestines of cattle, hindering nutrient absorption. As it progresses, cattle lose weight. They have chronic diarrhea and eventually die.