Proposed model to study the economic impact of bovine brucellosis and tuberculosis: Case study of Pirassununga, SP, Brazil

Abstract

Following the recent implementation of the National Program for the Control and Eradication of Brucellosis and Tuberculosis (PNCEBT), and the lack of economic research on animal health in Brazil, we created a model to estimate the economic impact of brucellosis and tuberculosis on livestock production, using the municipality of Pirassununga/SP as a case study. The first part of our study consisted of a literature review of the estimates of losses caused by the two diseases. The impact on production was converted into economic losses, also represented by monetary values, using secondary references from 2003. The losses were calculated for the entire municipality and took into account the actual prevalence of disease in the animals, and the type of disease in each of the affected properties. The results revealed the annual losses in Pirassununga, which, at the time of the study, were as high as R$ 132,676.23 for brucellosis (updated value by the IGP-M: R$273,407.43), and between R$192,500.00 and R$ 430,252.00 for tuberculosis (values updated by the IGP-M: R$ 396,686.97 and R$ 886,825.25). These results suggest that these diseases had a significant impact on livestock production in the municipality of Pirassununga. The impacts they have on agriculture, and the economy, should be rapidly be communicated throughout Brazil because this information will significantly improve the management of veterinary sanitary processes.