Deer Industry New Zealand representative on DeerPro, Innes Moffat, said there had been a steady decline in the disease over several years.
“But now a spike is of concern and DeerPro is investigating for any underlying causes.
“It’s possible that because of the lower prevalence people may be less active with management of the disease.
“It’s been a good season, deer have been well fed and the clinical signs are not showing and it could be that fewer farmers are taking blood for testing.
“But Johne’s control is vitally important to the industry and because prevalence has been down to a low level people could be thinking it’s okay but it’s not.
“Ongoing vigilance and monitoring is pretty damn important,” Moffat said.
DeerPro farmer representative and PGG Wrightson deer specialist Murray Coutts warned “Johne’s appears to be making a comeback”.
“You don’t want Johne’s disease to become an issue on your farm so don’t buy it in or let it breed up,” Coutts said.
Monitoring at deer slaughter plants has recorded a spike in the detection of Johne’s lesions.
“If you have been notified of lesions by letter, check the risk level in your herd through blood tests.
“When it goes from being sub-clinical to clinical, deer welfare, farm profitability and your wallet are all likely to take a big hit.”
DeerPro uses a national slaughterhouse surveillance database to map trends in the signs of disease and to identify and help high-risk farms.
It also provides industry benchmarked venison production information to individual farmers.
DeerPro is contacting farmers who processed animals during the spike to discuss whether clinical cases are also becoming more common and what might have triggered them.
“We strongly recommend all deer farmers refresh their vigilance and check rates of infection in their herd by blood-testing a tail end group and also, as the new processing begins, when testing poor performance in their weaners to immediately contact us or their local veterinarian and treat the cause.”
Farmers should cull deer clinically affected by the disease, especially in fawning mobs.
“A quiet walk or ride through the mobs now to remove any scouring, skinny hinds could stop a productivity time bomb going off next season.”
All information held by DeerPro is confidential.
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