A retrospective sero-epidemiological survey of bovine brucellosis on commercial and communal farming systems in Namibia from 2004 to 2018

AbstractCattle production is the major livestock production activity and the mainstay of Namibia ’s economy. Sustained beef exports are contingent on a sound sanitary environment where diseases such as brucellosis are under control. In this retrospective study, 49,718 bovine brucellosis testing results from 2004 to 2018 were analyzed to determine the proportion of sero-positive cattle and her ds, and the spatial distribution of positive reactors from commercial and communal areas. In total, 244 positive reactors were identified based on the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and the Complement Fixation Test (CFT) in series, giving an overall proportion of infected animals of 0.49% (244/49,718; 95% C I, 0.43–0.56%) and an overall proportion of infected herds of 9.26% (78/842; 95% CI, 7.49–11.41%). There was a higher proportion of sero-positive communal herds (33.09%) and cattle (10.27%) than commercial herds (4.67%) and cattle (0.24%;p <  0.05). Annually, the proportion of positive reactors was 0–1.37% in the commercial area and 0–52.38% in the communal areas, with a clear decline in positive reactors in the communal areas. Within the commercial sector, the proportion of positive reactor dairy, beef, and export cattle was 0.19 % (51/27,067; 95% CI, 0.14–0.25%), 0.30% (48/16,098; 95% CI, 0.22–0.40%), and 0.33% (16/4811; 95% CI, 0.20–0.54%), respectively. Abortions were found to be the major reason forBrucella testing in the communal areas. About 12.65% (96/759) of ab...
Source: Tropical Animal Health and Production - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research