Impacts of Leptospirosis on dairy farm: assessment of seroprevalence, risk factors and their relationship with productive and reproductive indices

• Grant number: 24/21716-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Luisa Zanolli Moreno
• Grantee: Caroline de Melo Corrêa
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis with global distribution and wide relevance for both public health and animal production. In dairy cattle, infection can cause significant losses, including abortions, infertility, birth of weakened calves, reduced milk production and, consequently, significant economic losses for dairy farms. This study will evaluate a herd of dairy cattle from the municipality of Jaboticabal/SP, belonging to a small to medium-sized farm that presents important deficiencies related to both health monitoring and the efficiency of dairy activity. Thus, the seroprevalence of leptospirosis will be assessed first and the risk factors existing on the farm will be identified. Subsequently, serological monitoring of Leptospira spp. will be performed in two groups of inseminated cows, from the moment of their insemination until the end of gestation, and in parallel, monitoring of the productive and reproductive indices of the monitored females and of the farm as a whole will be implemented. In this way, it will be possible to understand the dynamics of leptospirosis in the herd, enabling the improvement of management and health control practices, and in order to support effective interventions, with direct benefits for the health and well-being of the animals, the economic sustainability of the property and the safety of its workers.