BAU, Mymensingh, July 28 -- Dairy farmers in Bangladesh may be losing a significant amount of income every year without even realising it, as brucellosis, a largely overlooked livestock disease, silently reduces milk production in infected cows.

A two-year study by a team of researchers from Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) has found that a cow suffering from active brucellosis produces, on average, about one litre less milk a day than a healthy cow, while even cows carrying the disease without showing visible symptoms produce around half a litre less.

The researchers estimate that brucellosis could cause annual economic losses of around Tk 2.41 crore on average at large commercial dairy farms, with reduced milk production accou...