Cattle ranchers in Mato Grosso should pay attention to the deadline for the first stage of brucellosis vaccination, says Famato.

The Federation of Agriculture and Livestock of the State of Mato Grosso (Famato) alerts livestock farmers to the end of the first stage of mandatory brucellosis vaccination in the state. The deadline for immunizing bovine and buffalo calves, aged between three and eight months, ends next Tuesday (30). The communication of the vaccination to the Institute of Agricultural Defense of Mato Grosso (Indea-MT) must be carried out by July 2nd. According to Famato, despite the dissemination of the National Vaccination Campaign against Brucellosis by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa), in Mato Grosso there have been no changes to the vaccination calendar, that is, what is in force is the schedule established by Indea. Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Brucella abortus, and mainly affects cattle and buffalo. It causes losses to the herd, such as abortions, birth of weak animals, retained placenta, reduced fertility and a drop in milk production. The disease poses a risk to public health because it is a zoonosis and can be transmitted to humans, mainly through contact with infected animals or the consumption of unpasteurized milk and dairy products. Furthermore, it causes economic losses for livestock farmers. Currently, vaccinating heifer calves is considered one of the main strategies for controlling the disease and maintaining the health of herds. Famato advises producers not to leave immunization until the last few days, avoiding scheduling difficulties and ensuring compliance with the sanitary calendar. Immunization must be carried out exclusively, until June 30th, by a veterinarian or registered vaccinator, as determined by sanitary legislation. After administering the vaccine, the producer must also report the vaccination within the deadline established by Indea-MT, which is set for July 2nd. According to Famato, livestock farmers who do not vaccinate females at the established age are subject to a fine of 1 Standard Fiscal Unit (UPF/MT) per animal, amounting to R$ 254.36. The producer is still prevented from issuing the Animal Transport Guide (GTA).

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.