Effect of Bovine Tuberculosis on Selected Productivity Parameters and Trading in Dairy Cattle Kept Under Intensive Husbandry in Central Ethiopia. 2021

Rea Tschopp, and Andrew J K Conlan, and Gizachew Gemechu, and Gizat Almaw, and Jan Hattendorf, and Jakob Zinsstag, and , and James L N Wood
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) has substantial impact on fertility, milk, and meat productivity in cattle. However, these assumptions are based on outdated data. Recent global studies on the impact of BTB on cattle productivity are scarce and show sometimes inconclusive and/or contradicting results. This pilot study is the first longitudinal study performed in urban upgraded dairy cattle in Ethiopia that are kept under intensive husbandry. We assessed whether BTB has an impact on various animal productivity parameters and animal movement. Animals (N = 890) included in the study were tested for BTB at least once using the comparative intradermal tuberculin test (CIDT). Fertility, mortality, and offtake were assessed in 21 dairy farms where herd follow-ups over 3 years were performed. In addition, an independent abattoir survey was conducted to assess carcass weight and visible TB-like lesions upon meat inspection. Animal movements (purchasing and offtakes) were documented for each farm. The impact of BTB status on the intervals been birth, service, and calving times and the intercalving intervals was analyzed using a Cox proportional hazards model. The hazard ratio associated with BTB-positive animals was smaller than 1 for all fertility parameters, suggesting that BTB status increases the time between events; however, the effect was small and only statistically significant (95% level) for the time between calving and service. Offtakes included a higher percentage of reactor animals (58%) as compared with non-reactor animals (42%) (p = 0.0001). Overall, reactors were eliminated from the farms within 238.6 days after receiving test results, which was 54.9 days faster than for negative animals. The majority of owners purchased animals within their town or its surrounding. Nearly a quarter of reactors were sold directly to other farms. Animals were also sold further away, including other regions, raising the question of disease spread and the need for an animal tracing mechanism. In the abattoir survey, a total of 349 carcasses were weighed, of which 8% showed visible TB-like lesions and 53.6% had fasciolosis. Negative adult bull carcasses were 7.5 kg heavier than reactor bulls.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries

Related Publications

Rea Tschopp, and Andrew J K Conlan, and Gizachew Gemechu, and Gizat Almaw, and Jan Hattendorf, and Jakob Zinsstag, and , and James L N Wood
January 2021, Frontiers in veterinary science,
Rea Tschopp, and Andrew J K Conlan, and Gizachew Gemechu, and Gizat Almaw, and Jan Hattendorf, and Jakob Zinsstag, and , and James L N Wood
August 2010, The Veterinary record,
Rea Tschopp, and Andrew J K Conlan, and Gizachew Gemechu, and Gizat Almaw, and Jan Hattendorf, and Jakob Zinsstag, and , and James L N Wood
October 2007, Clinical and vaccine immunology : CVI,
Rea Tschopp, and Andrew J K Conlan, and Gizachew Gemechu, and Gizat Almaw, and Jan Hattendorf, and Jakob Zinsstag, and , and James L N Wood
January 2012, PloS one,
Rea Tschopp, and Andrew J K Conlan, and Gizachew Gemechu, and Gizat Almaw, and Jan Hattendorf, and Jakob Zinsstag, and , and James L N Wood
January 2016, PloS one,
Rea Tschopp, and Andrew J K Conlan, and Gizachew Gemechu, and Gizat Almaw, and Jan Hattendorf, and Jakob Zinsstag, and , and James L N Wood
January 1974, Archiv fur experimentelle Veterinarmedizin,
Rea Tschopp, and Andrew J K Conlan, and Gizachew Gemechu, and Gizat Almaw, and Jan Hattendorf, and Jakob Zinsstag, and , and James L N Wood
May 1989, Tropical animal health and production,
Rea Tschopp, and Andrew J K Conlan, and Gizachew Gemechu, and Gizat Almaw, and Jan Hattendorf, and Jakob Zinsstag, and , and James L N Wood
December 1982, International journal of zoonoses,
Rea Tschopp, and Andrew J K Conlan, and Gizachew Gemechu, and Gizat Almaw, and Jan Hattendorf, and Jakob Zinsstag, and , and James L N Wood
January 1993, Acta veterinaria Scandinavica. Supplementum,
Rea Tschopp, and Andrew J K Conlan, and Gizachew Gemechu, and Gizat Almaw, and Jan Hattendorf, and Jakob Zinsstag, and , and James L N Wood
January 1994, Berliner und Munchener tierarztliche Wochenschrift,
Copied contents to your clipboard!