Neospora abortion epidemic in a dairy herd

Abstract

Neospora caninrm is a protozoan closely related to Toxoplasma gonclii. It was discovered only a few years ago, but it is now recognised as one of the most common and important causes of abortion in cattle. Brain lesions characteristic of Neospora infection have been found in about 25% of aborted foetuses submitted to diagnostic laboratories in New Zealand and overseas⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾. Average abortion rates due to Neospora on New Zealand farms have been estimated at 7% of pregnancies compared with 4% due to other causes⁽¹⁾. The upper range of abortion rates for Neospora was 17–30% compared to only 7–10% for other causes, showing that the economic effects of Neospora abortions on the more severely affected farms can be devastating.