More TB found in Minnesota cattle

09/20/2005

Associated Press
September 21, 2005

Four more beef cattle have tested positive for bovine tuberculosis in northwestern Minnesota and the two affected herds will be destroyed, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health said Tuesday.

The board also said 19 herds totaling 3,455 animals are now under quarantine in five counties for tests to see if any more cattle are infected.

Until bovine tuberculosis resurfaced in a Roseau County herd in July, the last known case of the disease in Minnesota was in 1971. The disease has been all but eliminated in the United States.

The newly discovered infected cattle are from two operations that have pastures sharing fence lines with the first infected herd, the board said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working on the details of destroying the three herds and the owners are cooperating, the board said.

State and federal officials are tracking past movements of animals in and out of the two new operations, which have a combined 659 animals, but the board said the movements have been minimal.

State Veterinarian Bill Hartmann said the board has finished tracking movements from the first herd. As a result, 19 herds are now quarantined in Beltrami, Goodhue, Polk, Marshall and Roseau counties, including the three known infected herds.

Hartmann said five other herds have been tested and their quarantines have been lifted.

“We don’t want to leave any TB out there,’’ board spokeswoman Malissa Fritz said. “If it’s out there we want to find it and get rid of it.’’

The board said it’s unlikely that TB would get into the supply of milk or beef because inspectors are watching for it, and cooking kills the bacteria.