Table 3.
Herd level occurrence of characteristics and management practices potentially associated with contact between animals of different age categories within a farm included in the analysis of risk factors potentially associated with the prevalence level within herds seropositive for paratuberculosis in Swiss dairy herds, for all participating farms (total, n = 163) and for serologically positive (n = 9) and negative (n = 154) herds separately.
| Total (%) | Seropositive farms (%) | Seronegative farms (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presence of other ruminants on the farm19 | |||
| Yes | 55 (33.7) | 3 (33.3) | 52 (33.8) |
| No | 108 (66.3) | 6 (66.7) | 102 (66.2) |
| Presence of other food producing animals (i.e., pigs)20 on the farm | |||
| No | 129 (79.1) | 8 (88.9) | 121 (78.6) |
| <20 pigs | 12 (7.4) | 0 (0) | 12 (7.8) |
| ≥20 pigs | 22 (13.5) | 1 (11.1) | 21 (13.6) |
| Calving management | |||
| Contact with other cows during calving | |||
| No, only individual calving21 | 75 (46.0) | 4 (44.5) | 71 (46.1) |
| Low contact intensity22 | 26 (16.0) | 1 (11.0) | 25 (16.2) |
| Intensive contact (group calving box)23 | 62 (38.0) | 4 (44.5) | 58 (37.7) |
| Bedding management for calving24 | |||
| Change of bedding after each calving | 28 (17.2) | 3 (33.3) | 25 (16.2) |
| Pen or stall freshly bedded before each calving25 | 122 (74.8) | 4 (44.5) | 118 (76.6) |
| Same bedding used several times26 | 13 (8.0) | 2 (22.2) | 11 (7.2) |
| Gloves for the care of newborn calves | |||
| Yes | 6 (3.7) | 0 (0) | 6 (3.9) |
| No | 157 (96.3) | 9 (100) | 148 (96.1) |
| Use of the calving pen as sick pen | |||
| Never | 20 (12.3) | 1 (11.1) | 19 (12.3) |
| Rarely | 34 (20.6) | 2 (22.2) | 32 (20.8) |
| Often | 16 (9.8) | 0 (0) | 16 (10.4) |
| Always | 71 (43.5) | 4 (44.5) | 67 (43.5) |
| N/A27 | 22 (13.5) | 2 (22.2) | 20 (13.0) |
| Colostrum from the dam’s udder28 | |||
| Yes | 80 (49.0) | 2 (22.2) | 78 (50.6) |
| No | 83 (51.0) | 7 (77.8) | 76 (49.3) |
| Housing of the young animals | |||
| Neonates (first 2–3 weeks of life) | |||
| Individual hutch29 | 92 (56.4) | 5 (55.5) | 87 (56.5) |
| Group pen | 71 (43.6) | 4 (44.5) | 67 (43.5) |
| Pre-weaned calves | |||
| Individual hutch29 | 3 (1.8) | 0 (0) | 3 (1.9) |
| Group pen | 156 (95.7) | 9 (100) | 147 (95.5) |
| Not on the farm (rearing farm)18 | 4 (2.5) | 0 (0) | 4 (2.6) |
| Post-weaned calves | |||
| Group pen | 137 (84.0) | 7 (77.8) | 130 (84.4) |
| Not on the farm (rearing farm)18 | 26 (16.0) | 2 (22.2) | 24 (15.6) |
| Risk of fecal contamination from the cows to the calves’ environment | |||
| Neonates (first 2–3 weeks of life) | |||
| No30 | 4 (2.5) | 1 (11.1) | 3 (1.9) |
| Low31 | 151 (92.6) | 7 (77.8) | 144 (93.5) |
| Moderate32 | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| High33 | 8 (4.9) | 1 (11.1) | 7 (4.6) |
| Pre-weaned calves | |||
| No30 | 6 (3.7) | 1 (11.1) | 5 (3.3) |
| Low31 | 147 (90.2) | 7 (77.8) | 140 (90.9) |
| Moderate32 | 3 (1.8) | 0 (0) | 3 (1.9) |
| High33 | 7 (4.3) | 1 (11.1) | 6 (3.9) |
| Post-weaned calves | |||
| No30 | 14 (8.6) | 0 (0) | 14 (9.1) |
| Low31 | 32 (19.6) | 2 (22.2) | 30 (19.5) |
| Moderate32 | 111 (68.1) | 7 (77.8) | 104 (67.5) |
| High33 | 6 (3.7) | 0 (0) | 6 (3.9) |
| Shared alpine pastures with other animal categories of the farm | |||
| Heifers | |||
| No | 134 (82.2) | 9 (100) | 125 (81.2) |
| Yes34 | 29 (17.8) | 0 (0) | 29 (18.8) |
| Lactating cows | |||
| No35 | 156 (95.7) | 9 (100) | 147 (95.5) |
| Yes34 | 7 (4.3) | 0 (0) | 7 (4.5) |
| Dry cows | |||
| No35 | 148 (90.8) | 9 (100) | 139 (90.3) |
| Yes34 | 15 (9.8) | 0 (0) | 15 (9.7) |
19Including goats, sheep, new world camelids, water buffalo, deer.
20No food producing animals other than pigs were present in the participating farms.
21Including individual calving pen or tie stall where the neighboring cows are removed prior to a calving.
22Calving on pasture (extensive) or tie stall where the neighboring cows are not removed before calving (maximal two cows).
23Calving in the barn or group calving pen (up to 20 cows).
24Cleaning of calving pen and for tie stall change of bedding before the calving.
25Bedding not removed, new clean material added.
26In case of tie stall: not freshly bedded before calving.
27N/A: not applicable (no calving pen).
28Colostrum intake through direct nursing from the dam.
29Single housing in box or igloo, only one calf per box or igloo with visual contact with the other calves but no physical contact.
30No contamination possible on the farm, or the calves are not on the farm (rearing farm).
31Low risk: indirect contamination through the use of same cleaning or feeding equipment and boots both for the calves’ and the cows’ area.
32Moderate risk: calves are grazed on the same pastures or alp pasture with cows.
33High risk: calves are housed with the cows or can come in contact with cows or cow manure in their housing.
34All combinations of animals of different ages from the same farm.
35Not with young animals but possible contact between lactating and dry cows.