Johne's Disease Control in Beef Cattle: Balancing Test-and-Cull Strategies with Economic and Epidemiological Trade-Offs.

ABSTRACT: Johne's disease (JD) is a chronic infection of cattle that undermines herd productivity and profitability. While test-and-cull programs are commonly proposed for control, their effectiveness and economic feasibility remain uncertain in beef production systems. This study used an updated agent-based model (ABM) to simulate JD transmission in a representative 300-cow Western Canadian beef herd, coupled with a partial budget model to evaluate net present value (NPV) over a 10-year time horizon. Seven diagnostic test-and-cull strategies were compared, varying in test type (ELISA, individual PCR, and pooled PCR), sampling frequency (6, 12, or 24 mo), and risk-based sampling protocols. Results showed that, under baseline assumptions (6% starting prevalence; 1% prevalence in purchased stock), all

SUBMITTER: Rosengren L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12737406 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature