MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil launches anti FAM vaccination campaign

Brazil the world's leading exporter of beef begun this week the mid year vaccination campaign against foot and mouth disease with a target of 139.4 million cattle.

The anti FAM vaccination campaign that extends until the end of May will include 14 of the country's 26 states plus the Federal District, with a second leg to be completed next November, reported the official news agency Agencia Brasil.

This means that in the first stage 69% of the total Brazilian herd of 202.5 million cattle will be vaccinated, although some states as Santa Catarina in the south is not included since the region is considered free of FAM.

The Brazilian Agriculture Ministry reported that between January and March a total of 43.2 million doses of anti FAM vaccines had been commercialized, but by the end of this year a total of 378 million will have been distributed.

A FAM outbreak last October forced the termination of at least 30.000 cattle in the state of Matto Grosso do Sul plus the ban to Brazilian beef exports imposed by some of the country's main clients such as Russia. However last April 26 Russia decided to lift the ban on beef from some states.

Meantime in neighbouring Uruguay, the local Animal Sanitary Services also announced the beginning of the annual anti FAM vaccination campaign which will concentrate on cattle less than two years old.

An estimated five million cattle are expected to be vaccinated and 5.7 million doses have been distributed, said Hipolito Tapie head of Uruguay's Animal Sanitary Services. Uruguay's total cattle population exceeds 13.5 million.