In January 2006, a bulk milk quality assurance programme (BMQAP) for paratuberculosis in Dutch dairy herds was initiated. The aim of the BMQAP is to reduce the concentration of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) in milk delivered to the milk factories. The BMQAP was based on modelling studies presented at 8ICP and is run alongside the pre-existing 'Intensive Paratuberculosis Programme' (IPP), which aims at low-risk trade of cattle.

The BMQAP starts with an initial assessment including a single herd examination. Test-negative herds enter a surveillance procedure consisting of biennial herd examinations ("green herds"). Test-positive herds enter a control procedure consisting of annual herd examinations and culling of test-positives ("red herds"). All herd examinations are done by ELISA. In the initial assessment and surveillance procedures, ELISA results may be confirmed by faecal culture (FC).

The aim of this paper is to summarise progress within the BMQAP during its first 15 months.

Initiation of the BMQAP increased the total number of participating herds from 1071 in December 2006 (IPP only), to 1711 herds in March 2007 (including 495 herds in the IPP and 1216 in the BMQAP).

Results of the initial assessment of all 670 dairy herds that newly joined the BMQAP (i.e. did not shift from IPP to BMQAP) were analysed in detail. In 363 (54%) of these herds, ≥1 cattle were ELISA-positive. In 202 of these 363 herds, confirmatory FC of ELISA-positives was performed. In 107 (53%) of these 202 herds, ≥1 cattle were FC-positive. The observed proportion of test-positive herds was larger than estimated in our previous modelling studies, possibly related to a selection bias of participating herds.

In conclusion, tailoring the Dutch paratuberculosis programmes towards the needs of various groups of farmers, by initiating the BMQAP alongside the IPP, largely increased the total number of participating herds.