Brucellosis Symptoms in Cattle
- Brucellosis Main Page
- Brucellosis Surveillance Requirements
- Establishment of Designated Surveillance Area (DSA)
- Brucellosis Surveillance Requirements in DSA
- Brucellosis Symptoms in Humans
- How Cattle are Exposed to Brucellosis
- Greater Yellowstone Area Risk Survey
There is no effective way to detect animals infected with brucellosis by their appearance.
Once infected, pregnant animals may abort or birth weak calves. Abortions and delayed conceptions caused by the disease may reduce milk production from changes in the normal lactation period. Not all infected cows abort, but those that abort usually do so in the fifth and seventh month of pregnancy. Infected cows usually abort once, but a percentage will abort during additional pregnancies, and calves born from later pregnancies may be weak and unhealthy.
Infected calves may appear healthy. Regardless, infected cows continue to harbor and discharge infectious organisms and should be regarded as dangerous sources of the disease. Other symptoms of brucellosis include an apparent lowering of fertility with poor conception rates, retained afterbirths with resulting uterine infections and occasionally, enlarged arthritic joints.
Brucellosis testing is the only reliable means to detect the disease.