Epizootiological situation of brucellosis of cattle and small ruminants in the Almaty region of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Brucellosis poses a serious threat to livestock production, hindering herd expansion and reducing product quality. Effective control of the epizootic process requires timely diagnostics and early identification of brucella carriers. The aim of this work was epizootiological monitoring and analysis of the epizootiological situation of brucellosis in cattle and small ruminants in the Almaty region. Biological material samples (blood serum, whole blood, parenchymal organs, lymph nodes, aborted foetuses) were examined, and official veterinary reporting data from the Veterinary Control and Surveillance Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republican Anti-Epizootic Unit, and the regional branch of the Republican Veterinary Laboratory for 2021-2023 were analysed. A total of 1,989 samples were collected and examined in the Almaty region: 867 cattle serum samples, 1,022 small ruminant serum samples, 30 cattle whole blood samples, 50 small ruminant whole blood samples, and 20 pathological material samples. Serological diagnostics revealed positive results in 16 cattle and 6 small ruminants. Bacterial culture growth from pathological material was not established by bacteriological methods. Based on statistical data, the epizootiological situation of brucellosis for 2021-2023 was studied, districts with varying degrees of infection were identified, and an epizootiological map of infection distribution was compiled. A decrease in cattle morbidity was established during 2021-2023, despite an increase in livestock numbers from 238,751 to 780,417 animals, indicating the effectiveness of anti-epizootic measures. In small ruminants, morbidity increased from 0.03 to 0.08% during 2021-2022 with a more than 15-fold increase in livestock numbers; however, in 2022-2023, morbidity decreased, demonstrating positive results of the implemented measures