Ovine brucellosis Louise Mullemeister Senior Veterinary Officer - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Ovine brucellosis Louise Mullemeister Senior Veterinary Officer Biosecurity Queensland Roma

Brucellosis Species Host Presence Brucella ovis Sheep Occurs in Australia Brucella suis* Pigs Occurs in Australia Brucella abortus* Cattle Exotic Brucella melitensis* Goats Exotic Brucella canis* Dogs Exotic *Potentially zoonotic

Ovine brucellosis

Economic impact • Reduced semen quality & increased ram turnover • Poor conception rates • Reduced lamb marking percentage • Extended lambing period – Pasture management & supplementation – Metabolic disorders & mismothering – Wool length & quality – Lamb weights & condition scores • Abortions (uncommon)

Transmission • Ram to ram – Indirectly via ewe • Passive venereal transmission – Directly • Sodomy • Licking prepuce • Ram to ewe (uncommon)

Reproductive anatomy

Reproductive anatomy

Symptoms

Symptoms  Not all rams infected with ovine brucellosis will have palpable abnormalities.  Not all palpable abnormalities are due to ovine brucellosis.

Diagnosis • Complement fixation test (CFT) • Semen culture • Post mortem & culture of reproductive organs

Control/eradication • Not a notifiable disease in Qld • No regulatory control • No enforced eradication/control program • Voluntary Ovine Brucellosis Accreditation Scheme – Flock & property biosecurity measures – Clinical examination & testing regime

Poll With regards to the Ovine Brucellosis Accreditation Scheme, who: • Has an accredited flock • Only buys rams from an accredited flock • Isn’t accredited & doesn’t buy from accredited flocks?

Control/eradication Eradication • Culling & replacing entire ram flock • Identifying, testing & culling infected animals • Combination of control & eradication programs Control • Using additional rams at joining • Manual palpation of rams prior to joining • Extending joining period • Regular turn-over of rams • Weaning prior to joining

Eradication Program considerations: • Sheep-proof fencing • Clean musters • Individual identification of rams • Prompt removal of infected rams • Avoid joining period • Consistent testing intervals • Test straying animals • Buy rams from accredited flocks/tested prior to entry Seek veterinary advice first

Prevention Flock & property biosecurity • Sheep proof fences • Livestock records • Isolation from unknown, unaccredited, infected sheep • Management of straying sheep • Source sheep from OB accredited flocks • Isolate & test introduced sheep

Questions?

Image references Slide 1: http://www.nzva.org.nz Slide 3: http://dpi.nsw.gov.au; http://australiandorper.com.au; http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au; http://www.whitesuffolk.com.au Slide 6, 7, 8 & 9: http://dpi.nsw.gov.au Slide 10 & 11: http://fao.org; http://flockandherd.net.au Slide 13: http://sheepconnectsa.com.au Slide 14: http://oie.int