Research Programs

• Johne’s disease
• Drs. Roussel and Osterstock have an active research program in Johne’s disease in beef cattle.  Johne’s disease is a bacterial infection of cattle caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis.  This disease is an economically important disease to the beef and dairy cattle industries and is characterized by progressive weight loss and diarrhea.  Cattle are generally infected as calves, but do not develop clinical signs until much later in life.  Current research in Johne’s disease includes collaborations with Texas A&M University epidemiologists and geneticists including studies in diagnostic test performance, risk factors for infection in beef cattle, and genetic resistance to Johne’s disease.



• Environmental toxicology
• Food Animal Pharmacology, Small Ruminant and Swine Research
  • Dr. Washburn’s research has been focused on pharmacokinetic studies of antimicrobials labeled for use in livestock species, in addition to efficacy and safety studies.  He has also worked with small ruminant lentivirus, primarily CAEV, in efforts to de-contaminate colostrum by alternative means.  He has done projects in swine evaluating the effects on trace-mineral supplementation on prevalence of lameness in adult sows.  Currently, he is the principal investigator in collaboration with Dr. Wesley Bissett, on a small ruminant project evaluating a new treatment modality for caseous lymphadenitis.  He is also part of ongoing research projects aimed at adding caprine to the label of a relatively new antimicrobial (tulathromycin).