Financial analysis of an enhanced vaccination program to control brucellosis in cattle in different farming systems...

Results of financial analyses can help policymakers decide if allocation of resources is economically profitable to cover the costs of brucellosis control interventions in livestock populations. In Rwanda, the reported prevalence of brucellosis in cattle varies from 1% to 8% in zero-grazing and semi-intensive farming systems, and 8-22% in agro-pastoral. In the past, up to 15% of all female calves in the national herd have been vaccinated against brucellosis by using the Brucella abortus RB51 vaccine. The main objective of this study was to estimate the overall net present value (NPV), the internal rate of return (IRR), and the benefit-cost ratio (BCR) from adopting an enhanced vaccination program for brucellosis control in cattle in all three cattle farming systems, where all female calves (100%) are vaccinated against brucellosis until disease prevalence is reduced to 1%. A secondary objective was to estimate the number of years of vaccination intervention, when the enhanced vaccination program became economically profitable (e.g., BCR > 1.0). Study results indicated the enhanced vaccination program was altogether economically profitable in zero-grazing (NPV = $16,656,585; IRR = 7.71%; BCR = 2.38), semi-intensive (NPV = $618,815; IRR = 7.25%; BCR = 2.32), and agro-pastoral (NPV = $7,338,181; IRR = 20.14%; BCR = 3.20) cattle by the end of 31, 30, and 37 years of intervention, respectively, when disease prevalence decreased to 1%. In addition, the annual BCRs were > 1.0 after nine years in the zero-grazing and semi-intensive farming systems, and after six years in the agro-pastoral. In this report, we present policy options and potential socio-economic consequences of acting (or failing to act) on selected intervention scenarios.