The Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service, along with the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission, will offer free Bangs vaccinations on Thursday, Dec. 3.
Heifers 4-12 months of age may be vaccinated. Producers wishing to have cattle vaccinated must register with their names, phone numbers and locations by calling the extension office at 870-534-1033. Livestock-handling facilities must be adequate to handle the calves that will be run through the chute. All calves must be penned and ready for vaccination when the team arrives.
Brucellosis is a contagious, costly disease of ruminant (e.g. cattle, bison and cervids) animals that also affects humans. Although brucellosis can attack other animals, its main threat is to cattle, bison, cervids (e.g. elk and deer), and swine.
Bovine brucellosis is a serious disease of livestock that has significant animal health, public health and international trade consequences. Considering the damage done by the infection in animals, this disease is a formidable threat to livestock.
So can brucellosis in animals be cured? No. Repeated attempts to develop a cure for brucellosis in animals have failed. Occasionally, animals may recover after a period of time. More commonly, however, only the signs disappear, and the animals remain diseased. Such animals are dangerous sources of infection for other animals with which they associate.
Like other animal disease eradication efforts, success of the program depends on the support and participation of livestock producers. The vaccination of replacement calves in brucellosis-affected areas is an important feature of the current program.
Kurt Beaty is a county extension agent at the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Details: kbeaty@uaex.edu or 870-534-1033.