Biosecurity Practices for Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis Infection, Salmonellosis, and Bovine Leukemia Virus on Cattle Operations

This study will focus on the prevention and control of Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (MAP) infection, which is the cause of Johne's disease (JD), salmonellosis, and bovine leukosis. Despite the fact that these are very different diseases caused by distinctly different pathogens, these diseases share much in common. For each of these diseases, there are no highly effective vaccines that can prevent infection. There are also no highly effective treatments that can eliminate these pathogens once they are in a herd. If any cattle diseases epitomize the need for an increased focus on the application of biosecurity principles for the health of US cattle herds, these 3 diseases are at the top of the list.