Ten of the herds were in the state veterinary area of Port Elizabeth, which incorporated the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality and the Sarah Baartman district municipality, according to Dr Lubabalo Mrwebi, chief director of veterinary services in the Eastern Cape.
Mrwebi said that there had also been an outbreak on a communal farm in the Intsika Yethu area of the Chris Hani district municipality, as well as one each in the districts of Fort Beaufort and Amathole. All farms that tested positive for the disease were under quarantine.
Brucella infection is a highly contagious zoonosis, and causes undulant fever, which may become chronic, in humans. Serious infections can affect the musculo-skeletal, cardiovascular and central nervous systems, and recovery can take a considerable period.
“Brucellosis is a herd disease and a state veterinarian can only certify a farm disease-free by having test results of the whole herd, not just a portion of the herd,” Mrwebi said.
Brucellosis is an asymptomatic disease in young and non-pregnant animals, but in pregnant animals abortions tend to occur from five months onwards. Brucella organisms may be excreted in milk by lactating cows. There may also be swelling of the joints, especially the leg joints.
The disease was easily passed from one animal to another, according to Mrwebi, and resulted in serious loss of production.
“As cattle farming is a business (beef or dairy), the financial losses to the farmer as a result of the disease are huge. Milk from the affected herds usually fetches low prices, whilst the beef herd’s calving rate goes down.
“The final destination of all brucellosis-positive animals is the abattoir. They cannot be sold as breeding stock, traded at traditional auction sales, or even be present at an auction,” he said.
