Authors : Alvaro Peniche-Cardena, David Martinez-Herrera, Jose Luis Franco-Zamora, Eduardo Canudas-Lara, Francisco Barradas-Pina, Baldomero Molina-Sanchez, Edwin Jose Gutierrez-Ruiz, Jose de Jesus Williams, Jose Francisco Morales-Alvarez and Ricardo Flores-Castro
Abstract: Annual economic losses by bovine brucellosis in Latin America are estimated at 600 million American dollars (USD). In Mexico, the economic impact has not been quantified since reliable information about disease prevalence in cattle is scarce. In endemic areas the use of RB51 strain is a common practice, nevertheless the information about their efficiency is also scarce. The objective of the present study was to evaluate by clinical trial the efficiency of this vaccine in dual purpose herds naturally infected with brucellosis under tropical conditions. Vaccinated and non-vaccinated groups were integrated with 88 females each one. Reactor animals were not eliminated or separated from cattle population. A herd with an initial seroprevalence rate of 5% was selected and monitored during eighteen months post-vaccination. The vaccination efficiency shows that there were no losses with the control program and without the control program there were losses in the amount of 38,680 USD ($406,140 Mexican currency [Mex. cy]) estimating the loss per animal at 325 USD ($3,419.56 Mex. cy). The preventive program cost was 6,112 USD ($64,184 Mex. cy). The cost for maintaining non-productive reactor animals in the herd was estimated at 31,137 USD ($326,940.00 Mex. cy). The most affected parameters were fertility and milk production indicators. Benefit/cost ratio was 4.7:1 for milk production, 6.2:1 for calf sales and 6.6:1 for the combination of milk production and calf sales. It was concluded that the use of RB51 vaccine in the control program gives assurance of economic profitability.
Alvaro Peniche-Cardena, David Martinez-Herrera, Jose Luis Franco-Zamora, Eduardo Canudas-Lara, Francisco Barradas-Pina, Baldomero Molina-Sanchez, Edwin Jose Gutierrez-Ruiz, Jose de Jesus Williams, Jose Francisco Morales-Alvarez and Ricardo Flores-Castro, 2012. Economic Analysis of Efficiency of RB51 Strain Vaccine of Brucella abortus Applied in Herds Naturally Infected with Brucellosis in Tropical Climate. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 11: 1784-1789.