Abstract
This article presents the results of serological studies that identified the presence of seropositive animals for the infectious rhinotracheitis of cattle (IRT) virus in all surveyed districts of the Kostanay, Pavlodar, and North Kazakhstan regions. Within the framework of the cattle IRT study in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, sampling was carried out both in private subsidiary farms (PSF) and in organized farms, including peasant and farming farms (PF, FH), limited liability partnerships (LLP), joint stock companies (JSC) and other enterprises engaged in livestock breeding activities. This approach made it possible to take into account the specifics of the prevalence of infection in different animal housing systems, as well as to conduct a more detailed analysis of the epizootic situation. Analysis of the distribution of samples taken showed that the largest share came from private subsidiary farms – 72.18% of the total number of samples. At the same time, the share of samples taken from organized farms was 27.81%. This imbalance is due to the fact that organized farms, such as farms, private farms, LLP, and JSC, more often vaccinate livestock against IRT in cattle. In this regard, samples were taken specifically from unvaccinated animals at these enterprises, which made it possible to obtain more objective results of serological studies. The obtained data allow for an assessment of the epizootic situation in these regions and the identification of probable mechanisms of pathogen introduction and spread. The analysis of potential pathways of virus introduction highlights the significant role of inter-farm animal movement, unauthorized transportation, and violations of veterinary and sanitary regulations. The presented results may serve as a basis for further studies of the epizootic situation and the development of effective measures for disease prevention and control.