Relationship between Bovine Brucellosis and production systems in Kashongi Sub-County of Kiruhura-Uganda

The present study aimed at determining the seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis and abortion across the major production systems practiced in Kashongi sub-county in 2006. A questionnaire was used to obtain breeding information and blood for testing exposure to Brucella abortus antigens was collected from a total of 258 cattle across the production systems practiced. There was a significant difference in the prevalenceof bovine abortion among the 3 production systems and among breeds (p < 0.0001). The overall individual cow Brucella seroprevalence was 10.2%, but with a non significant difference (p = 0.404) across the production systems. Brucella antibodies were detected in 21.8% of cows that had aborted and in 5% of animals that had no history of abortion. No significant association (p = 0.519), was found between production systems, history of bovine abortion and bovine Brucella seropositivity, but poor management of aborted materials, retention of cows in the herd post-abortion, a high animal density and mixingof animals from different herds tended to increase the prevalence of bovine brucellosis. It was concluded that intensification be accompanied by good management practices and communally grazed herds be strictly of the resistant local breeds to reduce the riskof abortion.