Investigating Ontario dairy farmers motivations and barriers to the adoption of biosecurity and Johne's control practices

Abstract

For the control of Johne's disease (JD), management practices to minimize disease transmission must be implemented and maintained. Once infected, animals will enter a latent phase and will typically only manifest clinical symptoms years later. As young calves are the main susceptible group on farm, the observed effects of management practices geared toward minimizing their exposure to infective material may not be realized until years later. This delayed feedback limits the sustained implementation of JD control practices. Although quantitative research methods have demonstrated changes to management practices as well as their association with changes to JD prevalence, dairy farmers can offer insights into the current challenges relating to JD implementation and control. Thus, this study aims to use qualitative methods and in-depth interviews (n = 20) with Ontario dairy farmers who had previously been engaged in a Johne's control program to explore their motivations and barriers to the implementation of JD control practices and general herd biosecurity. A thematic analysis using inductive coding was completed generated the following 4 overarching themes: (1) the hows and whys of Johne's control, (2) barriers to general herd biosecurity, (3) barriers to Johne's control, and (4) overcoming barriers. Farmers no longer believed JD was an issue on their farm. Johne's was low on their list of concerns due to little public discourse, absence of animals displaying clinical signs, and no financial support for diagnostic testing. Producers who were still actively engaged in JD control cited animal and human health as their primary motivations. Financial support, targeted education, and promoting engagement through discourse may help encourage producers to reconsider their participation in JD control. Government and industry collaboration with producers may help to develop more effective biosecurity and disease control programs.