Prevalence of Neospora antibodies in beef cattle in New Zealand

Authors: Pomroy WE, Moffat PA, Rogers M, Gray PL, Driscoll VA, Reichel MP, Ritaven S, Ridler AL, Tennent-Brown BS, Marshall TS, Reeve OF
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 48, Issue 5, pp 149-150, Oct 2000
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Cattle, Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant
Subject Terms: Abortion/stillbirth, Clinical pathology, Diagnostic procedures, Disease surveillance, Epidemiology, Reproduction, Protozoa, Disease/defect, Infectious disease, Reproduction - female
Article class: Short Communication

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Abstract: AIM:  To estimate the prevalence of Neospora infection in a sample of New Zealand beef cattle.
METHODS:  The prevalence of Neospora caninum infection in New Zealand beef cattle was estimated by collecting blood at slaughter from 499 beef cattle from 40 different farms at 2 slaughter plants in the North Island and 1 in the lower South Island . Sera were tested using an ELISA against Neospora tachyzoite antigen.
RESULTS:  The prevalence of seropositive cattle was 2.5% (n=120), 3.6% (n=166) and 2.3% (n=213) at the plants surveyed, the overall prevalence being 2.8%. The serologically positive cattle came from 9 farms, 3 of which had more than 1 positive animal. The highest prevalence recorded amongst animals from 1 farm was 4/13 (31%), in a group of young steers.
CONCLUSION: Neosporosis appears to be present at a lower level in the New Zealand beef cattle population than in the New Zealand dairy cattle population. Nevertheless, from the high seroprevalence evident amongst young cattle on 1 farm, we suggest that Neospora may be a cause of infertility in beef cattle in this country.
KEY WORDS: Neospora, epidemiology, serology, ELISA, beef cattle.

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