A cross-sectional survey was conducted to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, practices and zoonotic risk perception of Q fever among 484 selected cattle farmers (438) and veterinary personnel (46) in three northern regions of Cameroon. Data collection was conducted using questionnaires and responses were recoded into binary scale. An ANOVA test was used to assess significant differences in mean knowledge, attitude, practice and zoonotic risk perception (KAPP) scores between regions, while Linear regression was done to explore the relationship between demographic characteristic and KAPP. Overall, surveyed had low mean scores for knowledge (0.02 ± 0.11), desirable attitude (0.30 ± 0.16), appropriate practice (0.43 ± 0.13) and negative perception of zoonotic risks (0.05 ± 0.11). The means knowledge, attitude, practice and risks perception scores of cattle farmers were lower than those of veterinary personnel. The nature of respondent was negatively associated to knowledge and risks perception, while regions were negatively correlated to attitude and practice. These results revealed significant knowledge gaps, low levels of desired attitudes, and high-risk behavioral practices. To improve awareness, control programs are needed to update knowledge on medical personnel and to prevent animal-to-human transmission.

Objectif: L’étude a été réalisée dans la région de l’Adamaoua (département de la Vina) au Cameroun, dans le but d’évaluer l’effet des divers facteurs potentiels sur la fertilité et la fécondité des bovins après synchronisation des chaleurs et l’insémination artificielle d’avril 2019 à juin 2022. Résultats: Il en ressort que 943 femelles (181 génisses et 762 vaches) ont été inséminées durant cette période avec un indice de fertilité apparent moyen de 2,3 pour des pourcentages globaux de gestation, d’avortement, et de gémellité de 49,5 % ; 8,3 % et 6,7 %, respectivement. L’intervalle moyen vêlage-insémination fécondante était de 245,2 jours. Ces paramètres de reproduction variaient significativement selon la race de la vache inséminée et le type de protocole de synchronisation des chaleurs (p = 0,0005). Les pourcentages de gestation étaient plus élevés chez les Bos taurus de races Holstein et Montbéliarde (60,8 %) et croisées F1 Bos indicus × Bos taurus (57,6 %) comparés aux Bos indicus de race Goudali (41,1 % ; p = 0,0005), respectivement. Trois groupes thérapeutiques ont été utilisés pour la synchronisation des chaleurs : le premier associant la GnRH et la prostaglandine F2α (CoSynch), une double injection de PGF2α à 11 jours d’intervalle et une injection unique de PGF2α (n = 140 ; 14,8 %) ; le deuxième suivant le protocole CoSynch + progestérone (n = 433 ; 46 %) et le troisième associant la progestérone et l’eCG (equine Chorionic Gonadotropin) (n = 370 ; 39,2 %). Les femelles en stabulation libre, âgées de 4 ans au plus, avec une note d’état corporel supérieure à 3 et une période d’attente comprise entre 120 jours et 365 jours ont obtenu une meilleure fertilité (p < 0,05). La saison, la semence du taureau utilisée et le type de femelles (génisse ou vache) n’auraient aucune influence sur la survenue de la gestation et le vêlage (p > 0,05) contrairement à la technicité de l’inséminateur (p < 0,05).

A study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence and risks factors of Coxiella burnetii in zebu cattle from the northern regions of Cameroon. From a total of 2016 (1754 females and 262 males) sera sampled, 801, 762 and 453 were collected, respectively, from Adamawa, North and Far North, and screened for Coxiella burnetii using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA). A total of 23.76% (479/2016) were serologically positive. The seroprevalence of Adamawa, North and Far North were 29.09% (233/801), 19.95% (152/762) and 20.75% (94/453); respectively. The seropositivity of male and female were 4.58% and 26.62%; respectively. Cattle from Adamawa region were more likely to have been exposed to C. burnetii than animals from Far North region (OR = 3.28; 95%CI: 1.13–7.85; p = 0.02). The Gudali breed was significantly more infected than Aku (OR =2.52; 95%CI: 1.06–5.99; p = 0.03), and animals aged of (6–9) years were 1.89 times more likely to have been infected to C. burnetii than young animals (p = 0.03). The seropositivity to this bacterium was significantly associated to pregnant cattle than non-pregnant (OR = 1.71; 95%CI: 1.01–2.90; p = 0.04). Female cattle were more likely to have been infected by C. burnetii than male and the rainy season were 1.66 more associated to this disease than dry season. The linear regression model indicated that C. burnetii seropositivity were positively correlated to the regions (0.09, CI: 0.04; 0.18; p = 0.007), age (0.01, CI: −0.01; 0.04; p = 0.02), sex (0.19, CI: 0.08–0.32, p = 0.001) and physiological status (0.11, CI: −0.04; 0.26; p = 0.006). This study revealed that C. burnetii infection is widespread among zebu cattle of Adamawa, North and Far North of Cameroon.

Background: In Cameroon, the production and consumption of cow milk remain limited, primarily due to inadequate herd management practices, the use of low-performing breeds, and insufficient control of reproductive activities. Purpose: This study aimed to contribute to the improvement of dairy productivity by evaluating the demographic characteristics, reproductive parameters, and milk production performance of Montbéliarde dairy herds in Cameroon. Method: A retrospective cross-sectional survey was conducted from March to May 2022 on nine Montbéliarde dairy farms located in the Adamawa and Far North regions. Data on farm structure, management practices, reproductive performance, and milk yield were collected using structured questionnaires and subsequently analyzed descriptively. Results: The average herd size was 15.00 ± 14.23 cows in Adamawa and 2.25 ± 0.50 cows in the Far North. The mean gestation length, age at first calving, calving interval, lactation duration, and average milk yield were 272.99 ± 8.44 days, 29.89 ± 2.62 months, 14.29 ± 1.11 months, 343.49 ± 17.51 days, and 2513.71± 540.62 L, respectively. Calving, weaning, numerical exploitation, pre-weaning mortality, and overall mortality rates were 27.08%, 47.78%, 61.93%, 42.46%, and 38.91%, respectively. All farms exhibited a negative crude numerical growth rate (-37.18%). Conclusion: The reproductive and productive performances of the Montbéliarde breed in Adamawa and the Far North regions were below expected standards. These suboptimal outcomes are primarily associated with poor management systems and inadequate breeding conditions, emphasizing the necessity for improved herd management, enhanced reproductive monitoring, and targeted interventions to optimize milk production efficiency in Cameroonian dairy systems.