7/9/2009 9:59:00 AM National Johne's Workshop Aug. 10
Exploring ways to most effectively address Johne's disease at the farm level is the focus of the 2nd New Horizons in Johne's Disease Control workshop set for Monday, Aug. 10, at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn. Registration starts at 8:00 a.m., with opening remarks scheduled for 8:45 a.m. The day's sessions will wrap up at 5:00 p.m.
Conducted in conjunction with the 10th International Colloquium for Paratuberculosis (ICP), this workshop is geared for producers and veterinarians and will look at the importance of Johne's disease to the producer, management strategies for young stock and mature animals and tools to help reduce shedding in infected animals. The end of the day will be devoted to case studies and a question-and-answer session.
Registration for the one-day workshop is $85/person and includes Monday's sessions, lunch and handouts as well as a Sunday, Aug. 9, reception and discussion relative to the role M. avium paratuberculosis, the bacterium that causes Johne's in livestock, may or may not have relative to Crohn's disease in humans.
"Johne's is a long-term challenge for dairy and livestock producers, and this workshop will provide practical information that can help producers better understand the disease and how to implement effective prevention and control management strategies," states Dr. Michael Carter, National Johne's Disease Control Program Coordinator, National Center for Animal Health Programs, USDA-APHIS-VS.
Dr. Carter adds that a National Animal Health Monitoring Systems (NAHMS) Dairy 2007 study indicates that 68.1 percent of U.S. dairy operations are infected with Johne's disease and at least one-fourth of U.S. dairy operations may have a relatively high percentage of Johne's-infected cows in their herds, resulting in unexplained lowered milk production and a less healthy bottom line. Research also suggests that eight out of 100 U.S. beef herds may be infected with Johne's, with Johne's-infected females producing lighter calves at weaning and can be slower to breed back.
To learn more about the 2nd New Horizons in Johne's Disease Control workshop, including a detailed list of topics and speakers, please visit http://www.cvm.umn.edu/outreach/events/icp/NewHorizonsWorkshop/index.htm.
Registration for the 2nd New Horizons in Johne's Disease Control workshop-and the ICP-is available online at http://www.cvm.umn.edu/outreach/events/icp/icpreg/home.html.
