Mortality due to foot-and-mouth disease among cattle and swine in the Ukraine after the epizootic of 1967-69

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TT 80-53270

MORTALITY DUE TO FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE AMONG CATTLE AND SWINE IN THE UKRAINE AFTER THE EPIZOOTIC OF 1967-69.

VETERINARIYA (KIEV), in Ukrainian, Vol. 33, 1972, pp. 12-15.

(Article by O.K. Panasenko, Candidate economic sciences, and K.E. Konarzhevsky, Scientific collaborator: Ukrainian Scientific Research and Experimental Veterinary Institute).

The problem concerning the losses originating from foot-andmouth disease has been studied by researchers such as A.L. Skomorohov, 1928; G.F. Bondarenko, 1959; M.I. Gushchin,1961; A.S. Chernov, 1962; F.H. Ahmatzyanov, 1964; O.O. Sviridov, Ya.F.Gubsky, V.M.lutov, 1965; G.F.Bondarenko, S.R. Didovets, 1970 et al. According to data rurnished [furnished] by these authors the economic losses due to foot-and-moutn [mouth] disease consist of the death and forced slaughter of animals, reduced productivity and live weight, amaller [smaller] number of issues born, as well as quaarantine [quarantine] expenses. The magnitude of the loss during the disease depends on the course of the diasease [disease], animal keeping conditions, the level of organization and other measures. Most of the losses occurring during a foot-and-moutn [mouth] disease epizootic comprise reduced productivity and live weight loss. Based on materials about the magnitude of losses and expenses occurring duirng [during] the fight against footoand mouth disease in periods of epizootics, M.I.Guschin (1961) has determined the economic effectiveness of veterinary-cum-sanitary measures.

However, animals do fall victim to foot-and-mouth disease not only during epizootics, but also inter-epizootic periods. When in individual districts and regions the disease might assume considerable proportions and cause substantial losses to the farms. Even on occasional case of foot-and-mouth disease emerges due to the fact that the virus is all the time circulating in the nature. Thus, the fight against foot-and-mouth disease in this period is of great anti-epizootic importance. In this regard need arises to give economic basis for expenses required for the organization of

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foot-and-mouth disease against preventive measures and liquidation of the virus from the environment. In order to achieve this objective one must know the dimensions of the loss on foot-andmouth disease and the expenditure involved in the implementation of various measures to fight it in concrete epizootic situations.

Losses caused by the foot-and-mouth disease in the post epizootic period between 1967-1969 was investigated by us in three regions of Ukraine. During the foot-and-mouth disease epizootics in 1965-1966, 1229 thousand heads of cattle and 253 thousand swine fell victim to the disease in 1199 places in these regions.

In the post-epizootic period (1967-1969) foot-and-mouth disease flared up at 86 places. During these three years, 16574 heads of cattle and 12069 pigs fell sick.

To determine the losses we used primary commercial and bookkeeping calculations, accounts of farms. Veterinary establishments and other organizations, as well as results of direct investigations concerning losses in the farms attacked by foot-and-mouth disease The losses have been divided into: expenses on the organization of anti-foot-and mouth disease measures, quarantine expenses and losses on sick animals.

Expenses on the orgenization of measures to combat foot-andmouth disease were determined in farms struck by the disease, in threatened farms in veterinary establishments and other organizations.

Farm expenditure on localization and liquidation of the virus for three years, constituted on an average, 6027 roubles for one unfortuante place. Of this sum 3521 roubles (58.4) was spent in farms struck by the disease and 2506 roubles (41.6%) in threatened farms. The bulk of the expenses accounted for the equiping of disinfection barriers, disinfection chambers and their maintenance, e.g. on the localization and 1iquidation of the infection, (table 1).

Besides the above stated expenses, significant amount was allocated to the farmers by veterinary establishments and government organizations to promote the fight against foot-and-mouth disease. On an average, for one disease- stricken farm, the cost of disinfection of places and virtually the whole area of the farm (by disinfection teams) constituted 168 roubles, the organization of quarantine measures (sending out militis workers, veterinary specialists etc) cost 835 roubles; total - 1003 roubles

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