Brucella control Perspective of the private veterinarians DR
Brucella control Perspective of the private veterinarians DR TRISH OGLESBY
ONE HEALTH State veterinarians Private veterinarians Animal Health Technicians Laboratory Personnel 2
Surveillance Bleed sufficient herds Different production groups (beef and dairy) Large areas Different sampling (serology, milk, post mortem) Systematic surveillance or random sampling 3
Trust The commercial farming community sceptical about Brucellosis control - DAFF’s ability, lab results, vaccine production and quality and the cost of control programs. Private veterinarians have a built-in trust with their clients 4
ACTION Talk, talk Improve the liaison between public and private veterinarians Build OFFICIAL public : private partnerships Authorise private veterinarians DO IT NOW 5
COSTS Large commercial farmer – 1000 breeding cows 100 -120 cows can be bled / hour in a decent crush R 15 000 Assuming Laboratory testing free Vaccinate and screen 6
Vaccine 80% of Heifers surviving to 8 months must be vaccinated. Availability S 19 2 dose – cold chain SUBSIDIZE if necessary 7
SCREENING The private vets are in an excellent position to screen herds Cattle sold on auction 8
SCREENING 9 Bulls tested for breeding soundness
10 Diagnostic Screening Tests I know the Bovine Brucellosis PCR test do have reliability issues, but I do think that it should be allowed as a screening test. A positive PCR result will give me a leg to stand on to get the farmer to agree to have his herd tested properly. ELISA The veterinarian has the obligation to use all possible means to come to a diagnosis while still rendering a professionally sound service
11 Diagnostic Screening Tests I am prepared to refer samples to SANAS Accredited Laboratories immediately in case of any positive results for controlled and notifiable diseases. As this holds extra costs, I am also available to forward the results to the mentioned authorities I am of opinion that the immediate processing of samples greatly improves results
Laboratories Control depends on speed of samples to lab, rapid processing and optimal lab testing Labs must have the skills and capacity to respond to the needs of a control programme 12
Laboratory Results 13 When I do get a farmer with an abortion outbreak in his herd and we bleed the cattle, the turnaround time from DAFF labs are often extremely slow and enquiries about the results mostly yield no results
Cull Positive Animals QUICKLY How long does it take to be C branded? Are they branded? Vacant state veterinarian posts. Deception Authorise the private veterinarians to brand – trust of the farmer - FAST removal of positive animals Put abattoirs in place. Protect the people 14
Private Vet Authorisation Positive herds – private vets have the trust of their clients. They can clear the positives much quicker that waiting for a state veterinarian to do it Bleed often – every 6 weeks - rid the positive animals It does not help to sell negative serology from positive herds Commercial farmers want to clear positive herds FAST Let the private vets clear the positive herds of their clients Let the state fill the gaps 15
Communication Personally I am often frustrated by a lack of communication and support from DAFF. Certain State veterinary offices appears to function well and farmers report follow up work after I have made the initial diagnosis, but in other instances just nothing gets done by DAFF officials. I never receive any progress reports or any communication to keep me up to date with the situation. Put the control into BOTH state and private veterinarian hands 16
SHARE RESULTS We need an open communication channel regarding the CA and TB status of herds. We as private veterinarians are required by auctions and shows to state that “to our best knowledge” herds are free from disease, but we often have no knowledge of the CA and Tb status of said herds 17
COMMUNAL Make control less national and more communal Work together Private veterinarians = state veterinarians Equal authorisation Equal power 18
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