42 Nebraska Herds Quarantined over Concerns of Bovine Tuberculosis
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture has reportedly quarantined 42 herds involved in an ongoing bovine tuberculosis outbreak, which the department says may have already spread to Colorado and South Dakota because animals from quarantined herds were sold to cattle producers in those states. Transmitted through contact and respiration, bovine tuberculosis is easily transmitted within herds and in rare cases can be transmitted to humans who work directly with the animals or who consume unpasteurized milk and cheese. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is apparently collaborating with state officials to determine the source and extent of the outbreak.
Greg Ibach, director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, predicts that the quarantine, which includes approximately 15,000 cattle, is likely to continue growing in the weeks ahead because investigators are still tracking down the animals that may have had contact with an infected herd over the last two years. “It’s important to remember that at this time, only one herd has had animals test positive for TB,” he was quoted as saying in a statement issued June 16, 2009. “We are pulling together all the resources we have at our disposal to address this situation. The beef industry is a cornerstone of our state’s agricultural foundation, so we recognize the importance of handling this matter efficiently and effectively for our state and region.”
In a related development, Texas officials have reportedly quarantined a West Texas dairy herd and slaughtered several cattle from the herd that tested positive for tuberculosis. They apparently have not identified the source of the disease. See Nebraska Department of Agriculture Press Release, June 16, 2009, The Associated Press, June 17, 2009.
