Our study focuses on describing the zootechnical characteristics of dairy cattle farms and conducting serological research on brucellosis in ruminants. To this end, a survey was conducted in 119 dairy farms, collecting 363 serum samples from March to December 2022. The study was carried out in the Doukkala region, within the province of El Jadida and Sidi Bennour, Morocco. The results indicate that 90.8 % of operators are owners with 37.8 % having no formal education. The cattle population consists of 67.8 % crossbreed and 31.4 % imported breed. A significant proportion of cows are purchased from the souk (57.5 %). The proportion of cows with a history of abortion is higher (p=0.01) in crossbreed cattle than in the imported breed. Notably, only 10.2 % of farmers are aware of bovine brucellosis. The detection of brucellosis was carried out using the Rose of Bengal test on serum samples collected from the blood. The study revealed a low rate of brucellosis cases (0.8 %) in a sample of 363 cows. This is attributed to the previous enforcement of health and hygiene measures by dairy farms. However, the lack of education and awareness about this disease and the importance of hygiene in dairy production could pose risks to production and consumer safety.
Amenu K, Agga G, Kumbe A, Shibiru A, Desta H, Tiki W, et al. Milk symposium review: Community-tailored training to improve the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of women regarding hygienic milk production and handling in borana pastoral area of southern ethiopia. Journal of Dairy Science. 2020. p. 9748–57.
2.
Arif S, Thomson P, Hernandez-Jover M, Mcgill D, Warriach H, Heller J. Knowledge, attitudes and practices (kap) relating to brucellosis in smallholder dairy farmers in two provinces in pakistan. PLOS ONE. 2017. p. 12-e173365.
3.
Artyukhova S, Tolstoguzova T, Gunkova P, Ushakova S, Luneva O, Voskanyan O. Monitoring the degree of contamination of milk with residual amounts of antibiotics by manufacturers. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 2020. p. 12007.
4.
Barman N, Patil S, Kurli R, Deka P, Bora D, Deka G, et al. Meta-analysis of the prevalence of livestock diseases in north eastern region of india. Veterinary World. 2020. p. 80–91.
5.
Béjaoui A, M, Abdallah B, I. Brucella spp. contamination in artisanal un-pasteurized dairy products: An emerging foodborne threat in tunisia. Foods. 2022. p. 2269.
6.
Diniso Y, Jaja I. Dairy farmers’ knowledge about milk-borne zoonosis in the eastern cape province, south africa. Italian Journal of Food Safety. 2024.
7.
Edao B, Ameni G, Assefa Z, Berg S, Whatmore A, Wood J. Brucellosis in ruminants and pastoralists in borena, southern ethiopia. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2020. p. 8461.
8.
Enström S, Nthiwa D, Bett B, Karlsson A, Alonso S, Lindahl J, et al. Technical and environmental characterization of dual-purpose cattle farms and ways of improving production: A case study in colombia. Pastoralism. 2017. p. 10.
9.
Haou A, Miroud K, Gherissi D. Impact des caractéristiques du troupeau et des pratiques d’élevage sur les performances de reproduction des vaches laitières dans le nord-est algérien. Revue d’élevage et de médecine vétérinaire des pays tropicaux. 2021. p. 183–91.
10.
Hegazy Y, Elmonir W, Abdel-Hamid N. Seroprevalence and “knowledge, attitudes and practices” (kaps) survey of endemic ovine brucellosis in egypt. Acta Vet Scand. 2015.
11.
Holt H, Bedi J, Kaur P, Mangtani P, Sharma N, Gill J, et al. Epidemiology of brucellosis in cattle and dairy farmers of rural ludhiana, punjab. PLoS neglected tropical diseases. 2021. p. 9102.
12.
Iglesias J, Funes-Monzote F, Toral O, Simón L, Milera M. Disenos agrosilvopastoriles en el contexto de desarrollo de una ganadería sustentable. apuntes para el conocimiento. Pastos y forrajes. 2011. p. 241–57.
13.
Khurana S, Sehrawat A, Tiwari R, Prasad M, Gulati B, Shabbir M, et al. Bovine brucellosis -a comprehensive review. Veterinary Quarterly. 2021. p. 61–88.
14.
Kothalawala K, Makita K, Kothalawala H, Jiffry A, Kubota S, Kono H. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (kap) related to brucellosis and factors affecting knowledge sharing on animal diseases: A cross-sectional survey in the dry zone of sri lanka. Tropical Animal Health and Production. 2018. p. 983–9.
15.
Leksir C, Boudalia S, Moujahed N. Traditional dairy products in algeria: Case of klila cheese. J. Ethn. Food. 2019.
16.
Lindahl E, Sattorov N, Boqvist S, Magnusson U. A study of knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to brucellosis among small-scale dairy farmers in an urban and peri-urban area of tajikistan. PLOS ONE. 2015. p. 1–10.
17.
Lindahl E, Sattorov N, Boqvist S, Magnusson U. A study of knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to brucellosis among small-scale dairy farmers in an urban and peri-urban area of tajikistan. PLOS ONE. 2015. p. 1–10.
18.
Lonkar S, Thorat V, Gandge R, Pharande R, Gaikwad S. Detection of brucella melitensis in milk and serum samples of goats by serological and molecular techniques. The Indian Journal of Animal Sciences. 2023. p. 764–9.
19.
Michetti M, Reis J, Kamoi M, Lopes L. Seasonal variation of price and milk production in mato grosso. Scientific Electronic Archives. 2020. p. 67–76.
20.
Muma J, Samui K, Oloya J, Munyeme M, Skjerve E. Risk factors for brucellosis in indigenous cattle reared in livestock-wildlife interface areas of zambia. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2007. p. 306–17.
21.
Ndiongue M. Filière laitière: Malgré ses performances, le défis du climat reste sérieux. 2022.
22.
Nosov V, Suray N, Mamaev O, Chemisenko O, Panov P, Pokidov M. Milk production dynamics in the russian federation: Causes and consequences. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 2020. p. 22091.
23.
Pérez Ruano M, Aguayo M. Study of knowledge about bovine brucellosis among people involved in the cattle supply chain in the province of Manabí. Revue scientifique et technique (International Office of Epizootics). 2017. p. 921–8.
24.
Plommet M, Fensterbank R, Renoux G, Gestin J, Philippon A, Borde R, et al. Brucellose bovine expérimentale. Annales de Recherches Vétérinaires. 1973. p. 419–35.
25.
Rajkumar K, Bhattacharya A, David S, Balaji S, Hariharan R, Jayakumar M, et al. Socio-demographic study on extent of knowledge, awareness, attitude, and risks of zoonotic diseases among livestock owners in puducherry region. Veterinary World. 2016. p. 1018–24.
26.
Rossetti C, Maurizio E, Rossi U. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2022.
27.
Samadi A, Amiri M, Hailat N. The reasons behind long-term endemicity of brucellosis in low and middleincome countries: Challenges and future perspectives. Current Microbiology. 2024. p. 82.
28.
Sonawane G, Tripathi S, Dubey S. Sero-incidence of brucellosis in small ruminants of semiarid rajasthan. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences. 2011. p. 327–56.
29.
Stanly T. Factors associated with milk producers awareness and practices in relation to zoonoses in northern malawi. Veterinary World. 2013. p. 249.
30.
Tasiame W, Emikpe B, Folitse R, Fofie C, Burimuah V, Johnson S, et al. The prevalence of brucellosis in cattle and their handlers in north tongu district of volta region, ghana. African journal of infectious diseases. 2016. p. 111–7.
31.
Traore O, Sidibe S, Fane A, Coulibaly K, Kone Y, Kone M, et al. Enquete sero-epidemiologique sur la brucellose chez les bovins laitiers en zone peri-urbaine du district de bamako. Revue Malienne de Science et de Technologie. 2020. p. 76–85.
32.
Tukana A, Gummow B. Dairy farm demographics and management factors that played a role in the re-emergence of brucellosis on dairy cattle farms in fiji. Tropical Animal Health and Production. 2017. p. 1171–8.
33.
Van Den Brom R, De Jong A, Van Engelen E, Heuvelink A, Vellema P. Zoonotic risks of pathogens from sheep and their milk borne transmission. Small Ruminant Research. 2020. p. 106123.
34.
Wang Y, Vallée E, Heuer C, Wang Y, Guo A, Zhang Z, et al. A scoping review on the epidemiology and public significance of brucella abortus in chinese dairy cattle and humans. One Health. 2024. p. 100683.
35.
Who. Estimates of the global burden of foodborne diseases: Foodborne disease burden epidemiology reference group. 2015. p. 2007–15.
36.
Who. La brucellose. 2020.
37.
Yadav R, Yadav P, Singh G, Kumar S, Dutt R, Pandey A. Non infectious causes of abortion in livestock animals -a review. International Journal of Livestock Research. 2021. p. 1–13.
38.
Zeng J, Duoji C, Yuan Z, Yuzhen S, Fan W, Tian L, et al. Seroprevalence and risk factors for bovine brucellosis in domestic yaks (bos grunniens) in tibet, china. Tropical Animal Health and Production. 2017. p. 1339–44.
The statements, opinions and data contained in the journal are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publisher and the editor(s). We stay neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.