AFTER three months in limbo, Bordertown stud sheep breeders Ian and Julie Pfeiffer have finally received news last week confirming what they knew all along - that their Burwood White Suffolk and Suffolk flocks are free of ovine Johnes disease (OJD).
The stud was put under quarantine for suspicion of OJD in the White Suffolks in early August after a routine test to maintain their MN3 status in the Market Assurance Program, of which it has been a member for 15 years.
One of the two pooled faecal tests from 50 mature ewes delivered a positive response using the new High Throughput Johnes (HT-J) test.
It was designed as a more rapid and simpler method but the HT-J test has since been suspended from use in SA after inconsistent results which have adversely affected a number of studs.
Further retesting of the same animals with pooled faecal culture testing and individual PC/*R testing of all sheep within that mob has eventually given Burwood the all clear.
The Pfeiffers are getting on with life, rescheduling their final-stage stud ewe and ram dispersal sale, and flock ram sale for November 28 and 29, but believe the hold up has conservatively cost them $200,000 in lost income.
Instead of being one of the first British Breed sales for the season they are the last and have dropped their flock ram numbers from 130 to 80 head.
They are resigned to the fact many of their loyal clients have bought rams elsewhere.
The couple, long considered industry leaders, are still in disbelief that a "non-definitive" test was cleared for use by the Animal Health committee made up of chief vet officers of each state, and endorsed as an acceptable testing method by the South Australian OJD committee.
They are also unimpressed by the handling of the situation, being judged as "guilty before proven" and lack of support to find a way forward.
"We were having to defend ourselves all the time and there was a real stigma," Mr Pfeiffer said.
"It was like we were guilty even though we didn't have, and have never had, the disease," Mrs Pfeiffer said.
*Full report in Stock Journal, November 14 issue, 2013.
