Post vaccination and colostral peste des petits ruminants antibody dynamics in research flocks of Kirdi goats and Foulbe sheep of north Cameroon.

We studied Kirdi goats and Foulbe sheep kept on-station at the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Garoua to look at their immunological response following vaccination with a specific peste des petits ruminant (PPR) virus vaccine. Pre-vaccination PPR antibody seroprevalences were 44 and 29% in goats and sheep, respectively. Seroprevalences following vaccination were 100% in both species. Titres remained above the protection threshold level (1:10) in both species at 12 months. Maternal antibodies in young animals were detectable to up to 6 months of age but fell below the protection threshold level at 3.5 and 4.5 months in lambs and kids, respectively. Kids and lambs from immunised or exposed dams should be vaccinated at 4 and 5 months of age, respectively.