Options for your 2022 Whole Herd Test as part of the Irish Johne’s Control Programme

All herds in the Johne’s programme in 2022 are required to undertake a whole herd test.  This is conducted on milk or blood samples taken from all animals in the herd aged two years or more.

If you intend to use milk samples, you should contact your milk recording organisation (Munster Bovine, Progressive Genetics or Tipperary Co-op) immediately to arrange this.  Samples collected in mid-lactation are more suitable for Johne’s testing than those in early or late lactation, so do not delay.  All you need to know about testing using milk samples is described in a ‘Planning your Milk Test’ fact sheet here.

If you intend to use blood samples, contact the veterinary practitioner who you nominated for the programme, to arrange the testing.

Make sure that you account for every eligible animal on your farm in this testing. You can log in and use your Johne’s screen on ICBF to list the animals to be tested, or if you are not sure how to do this talk to your veterinary practitioner.

You can have animals aged over 2 years which are non-breeding and held entirely in a separate blaock from your breeding herd exempted from testing.  This only applies to animals such as beef animals held on a separate land parcel or feedlot, but not to animals such as cull cows, bulls or un-calved heifers which have been or will be part of your dairy herd.  To exempt animals from the testing requirement, complete and submit the exemption form from this AHI webpage.  If you are unsure whether to proceed with testing, read why you should in ’10 good reasons’ fact sheet here.

For herds that are not required nor funded to do a VRAMP in 2022, having already achieved, since 2019, three years of completed VRAMPs and three years of herd testing with negative results, the rate of payment of herd testing assistance in the fourth year has reduced to zero.

For further information, contact:

  • Your approved veterinary practitioner in the Johne’s programme
  • Your milk recording organisation
    • Munster Bovine – phone Aishling on 022-43228
    • Progressive Genetics – 046-9540606
    • Tipperary Co-op – 067-32000
  • The IJCP Herdowner Flowchart on this AHI webpage.