The nature of Brucellosis

Background information on the nature of Brucellosis in cattle and the need for animal testing.

Brucellosis is a highly contagious disease of cattle caused by a bacterium which spreads through animals coming into contact with infected female cattle, aborted foeti or discharged placental tissues and fluids. The disease can lead to an abortion storm amongst infected females and if it becomes established can lead to decreased milk yields, infertility, weak calves and serious financial loss. The disease is particularly dangerous to humans who come into contact with infected animals or material.

Over the past 30 years the Department has undertaken a programme of compulsory testing of all breeding bovine animals, the removal and slaughter of infected and in-contact animals, the imposition of movement restrictions and follow-up testing on herds thought to be at risk. This has reduced the level of infection to very low levels and enabled Northern Ireland to maintain the Officially Brucellosis Free (OBF) status of its herds within the European Union and thus meet essential criteria for trade. As the disease can be passed to humans who come into contact with infected materials there are also important public health reasons why the programme must be continued.