Fiji Dairy Sector Battles Epidemics

FIJI - The dairy sector in Fiji has dealt with a Tuberculosis and Brucellosis epidemic resulting in a huge loss of cattle numbers and a reduction in milk production since 2009 says Permanent Secretary for Agriculture Jitendra Singh at the Brucellosis Tuberculosis Eradication Campaign (BTEC) Forum in Suva yesterday.

3 May 2017

1 minute read

Oceania

Mr Singh said starting from 2009, the Central division of Fiji including Tailevu, Naitasiri and Serua were badly affected with bovine TB and Brucellosis, according to The Fiji Times Online.

"From 2010 to 2014, a total 20,907 heads of cattle were tested," he said.

"Of these, the number of cattle identified with positive TB, or reactors, seemed to remain low in the early years- 17 heads in 2010, 60 heads in 2011, 47 in 2012, 61 heads in 2013 until an abrupt increase to 721 cattle reactors was noted in 2014."