It is expected that 150 million cattle and buffaloes will be immunized at this stage
From November 1st to 30th, most Brazilian states will carry out the second stage of vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease. The expectation is that 150 million animals will be vaccinated by the end of this phase. In the states of AC, AL, AM, CE, ES, MA, MT, PA, PB, PR, PE, PI, RN and SP, the entire cattle and buffalo herd must be immunized. In BA, GO, MS (except in Pantanal), MG, RJ, RS, SE and TO, in addition to the Federal District, the application of the November dose is mandatory only for animals up to 24 months of age.
In the second half of this year, the stage was already completed in the Calha do Rio Amazonas region and Protection Zone in the state of Pará (municipalities of Faro and Terra Santa), on the border with Amazonas. According to the results recorded, 550 thousand animals were immunized, with vaccination rates above 90%. The country's herd is around 215 million heads: 213.8 million cattle and 1.1 million buffaloes.
The breeder must be aware of the practical aspects of immunization. The livestock farmer needs, for example, to obtain the vaccine invoice from the product supplier and present it to the municipality's official veterinary service along with the list of immunized animals to declare the vaccination. Furthermore, he must be careful with the transport and storage of the vaccine, always trying to keep it at a temperature of 2º to 8ºC so as not to lose its effectiveness.
Other precautions include applying the correct dose of the product (5 ml) to the side of the animal's neck, using clean syringes and needles that are not damaged or bent. The producer must pay attention to the vaccination deadlines and their declaration at the official veterinary service, because non-compliance will prevent the issuance of an Animal Transit Guide and may result in fines.
The 2016 vaccination calendar is available on the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply website. Access here.
Source: Agrolink
