Work

Assessment of Cattle Owners’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Bovine Tuberculosis in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) remains a significant zoonotic disease in livestock production, causing considerable animal welfare and economic losses, particularly in communal farming communities where human–animal contact is close, and veterinary services are limited. This study aimed to assess communal cattle owners’ knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding BTB using a structured questionnaire in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. A cross‐sectional survey design was employed, and a systematic random sampling approach was used to recruit participants from villages in the Makana, Raymond Mhlaba and Enoch Mgijima local municipalities. Face‐to‐face interviews were conducted with 186 cattle owners using a structured questionnaire administered in IsiXhosa or English. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation analyses, and binary logistic regression in SPSS (version 28) and RStudio (version 4.4.2). The findings of this study revealed low awareness: Only 18.8% of cattle owners had heard of BTB, and a limited understanding of its transmission routes, including the consumption of raw milk, undercooked meat and shared grazing land. Although 61.3% of cattle owners supported culling infected cattle, resistance to control measures persists, particularly among experienced farmers, as indicated by a negative Pearson's correlation between experience and attitude towards BTB control ( r = −0.170, p < 0.05). The low awareness levels, insufficient testing and inadequate preventive measures increase the likelihood of undetected infections and contribute to the potential spread of BTB within herds and to human beings.

Source: Public Health Challenges

DOI: 10.1002/puh2.70313

Authors: Effort Maguta, Anita Michel, Ishmael Festus Jaja

Institutions: University of Fort Hare, University of Pretoria, University of South Africa

Language: English

Topic: Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology

Subfield: Infectious Diseases

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Zero hunger, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,650