Symptoms of Bovine Tuberculosis
Chronic bacterial disease caused by M. bovis. Zoonotic risk through unpasteurized milk. Major trade barrier.
Early recognition is critical. Watch for fever, a drop in appetite, separation from the herd, reduced milk yield, and any animal that is unusually dull or reluctant to move. Catching Bovine Tuberculosis early gives you the best chance of effective treatment and limits spread to the rest of the herd.
Treatment
Treatment of Bovine Tuberculosis should be guided by a qualified animal-health worker. Self-medicating with leftover or under-dosed drugs drives resistance and often fails.
Supportive care — shade, clean water, soft feed, and treatment of secondary infections — improves survival in many cases. There are no cattle breeds with reliable natural immunity to Bovine Tuberculosis, so prevention rests on management, biosecurity and vaccination.
Prevention & control
- Biosecurity: Quarantine newly bought animals for 2–4 weeks before mixing them with your herd.
- Vector control: Maintain hygiene, isolate sick stock, and limit contact between herds at shared water points and markets.
- Herd immunity: Keep vaccinations current and maintain good nutrition — well-fed animals withstand disease far better.
- Breed choice: In hotspots, favour breeds with known tolerance.
Vaccination
There is no single, widely available routine vaccine that reliably prevents Bovine Tuberculosis across Africa, so control depends mainly on parasite and vector management, biosecurity, and prompt treatment. Discuss the latest options with your veterinary service, as availability changes by country.
Economic impact
Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) is rated a high threat to African herds. Losses come from death, reduced growth and milk, treatment costs, and lower sale prices for affected or recovered animals. For an owner, every prevented case protects both the individual animal's value and the productivity of the whole herd. Knowing the price of your stock — see our market prices — makes the cost of prevention easy to justify.