Discontinuation of Mycopar®, Johne’s Vaccine

In March 2019, Boehringer Ingelheim announced they will be discontinuing Mycopar®, a vaccine used in some Johne’s disease herd plans. Mycopar® is currently the only Johne’s vaccine licensed in the U.S. As a result, veterinarians will need to advise herd owners using the vaccine that the product will no longer be one of the tools available to manage Johne’s disease in Wisconsin.

Tools for Managing Johne’s Disease

Veterinarians certified to vaccinate against Johne’s disease in Wisconsin are also certified to conduct Johne’s Risk Assessment and Management Plans (RAMPs). All herds vaccinating against Johne’s disease in Wisconsin are required to maintain an active Johne’s RAMP. The RAMP tool remains the foundation for the Johne’s Disease Control Program.

Veterinary Support Critical for Transition

Herds that use the vaccine as part of their control program will need veterinary input in making the transition to a control program that does not include vaccination. It is important for veterinarians to review risk assessments and update herd management plans with owners to determine what changes are needed. Veterinarians should continue to tailor the management plan to the individual herd and address farm-specific risk factors, given the farm-specific resources available.
One area that most vaccinating herds do not include in their plans is Johne’s disease testing. Veterinarians should discuss testing strategies including when, which tests, and how to implement testing and use results to manage the disease in herds transitioning out of Johne’s vaccination.

Wisconsin Johne’s Vaccine Use

Wisconsin is one of the few states that allows the use of Johne’s vaccine and uses more vaccine than the rest of the U.S. combined. In 2018, veterinarians vaccinated over 20,000 calves against Johne’s disease on almost 300 Wisconsin dairy farms. At this time, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is not aware of any vaccine manufacturers seeking licensure for a Johne’s disease vaccine in the U.S.

More Information

Learn more about the Johne’s Disease Control Program at https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/JohnesDisease.aspx.

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Division of Animal Health https://datcp.wi.gov

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