Faecal culture examination using the 0.75% HPC method was used for the control of paratuberculosis in the Czech Republic in cattle, sheep, goats, wild capricorn, antelope, moufflon, fallow and red deer. A total of 117 210 cultures from cattle and 12 968 cultures from wild ruminants were examined. The introduction of infected animals from other farms (in the main cases, the importation of highly pregnant heifers and the purchase of their progenies) was the main reason for the spread of paratuberculosis in the Czech Republic with 54 officially registered cattle outbreaks in 2006. Successful control was adopted in 19.3% of cattle herds, in one herd of Capricorn and one herd of moufflon. The main reason for the achievement of the successful outcome was the removal of all faecal culture positive animals from the herd, including their progenies, separate rearing of calves from old animals and stringent hygienic management. However, the control programme is not yet completed in 45.0% of herds. The cause of the prolonged and unsuccessful control programme was failure to remove all progenies of infected animals and feeding calves with mixed colostrum and/or unpasteurised milk. A radical control programme was applied in 20% of cattle herds and a few herds of wild ruminants (three farmed red deer and fallow deer herds, one antelope herd and three herds of moufflon). In the rest of the outbreaks the control programme was suspended for financial reasons and due to low motivation of farmers. Certification program based on milk examination by PCR is now under discussion and preparation.

Supported by the grant No. MZE 0002716201(MAgr., Czech Republic).