Isolation of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis from colostrum and milk of subclinically infected cows.

Mycobacterial culture was performed on colostrum, milk, and feces from 126 clinically normal cows of a single herd with high prevalence of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis infection. Thirty-six (28.6%) cows were determined to be shedding the organism in the feces. Of the 36 fecal Culture positive cows, M paratuberculosis was isolated from the colostrum of 8 (22.2%) and from the milk of 3 (8.3%). Cows that were heavy fecal shedders were more likely to shed the organism in the colostrum than were light fecal shedders.