Regular Bovine TB Outbreaks in the UK and Overseas - even in Areas officially declared to be TB Free
Added by
Sally
15 Jul 2010, 3:38 PM
Whilst the UK (and many other developed countries), strive to eradicate bovine TB, the battle is regularly lost in many areas with regular outbreaks in areas declared to be TB free. The international standard for TB freedom is reached when 99.8 per cent of domestic cattle and deer herds have been free for three years and this is similar for the EU. An impossible task with increasing globalisation and when one considers that around 85% of cattle and 82% of the human population are in areas where bovine TB is either only partially controlled or not controlled at all ('Zoonotic tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium bovis in developing countries.').
This s demonstrated in the following web links which reveal the number of breakdowns in different areas over the last few weeks and the current situation in other areas. We hope to add to these links on a regular basis.
http://www.buckeyeag.com/article.php?aid=20100708031810209 Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Robert Boggs today announces that preliminary tests performed by the department’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory revealed a positive result for bovine tuberculosis in a Paulding County dairy herd.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/rural/3913218/Bovine-TB-threat-remains www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/rural/3913215/TB-control-critical-to-our-markets In New Zealand there are still pockets of bovine TB in some areas of the southern North Island, says Terry Hynes, regional co-ordinator for the Animal Health Board. The area he covers extends from Gisborne and Taranaki, south to Wairarapa and Wellington.
http://www.vetsweb.com/news/bovine-tb-discovered-in-south-west-france-1399.html On a farm in Ariège in the Southern of France, bovine tuberculosis has been detected. The 83 animals on the farm have been culled as a precaution. Twelve other farms in the area are under supervision. In France, an average of thirty cases of the disease is detected per year.
http://www.cattlenetwork.com/What-Does-Discovery-Of-Bovine-Tuberculosis-In-A-Herd-In-Ohio-Mean-For-Ohio-Livestock-Farmers/2010-0... In July 2010 a dairy herd had recently been detected with bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and subsequently depopulated. There have apparently been similar outbreaks in other states.Biosecurity and the concern of introducing diseases, like tuberculosis and others characterized by 'silent'" infections, into herds and flocks is mentioned. Should additional herds be discovered in the next two years, the possibility of loss of the existing 'free" status' with respect to bTB exists. The current situation in Ohio and the USA, with respect to bTB, is interesting and gives some insight into changes that have occurred over the past 20-30 years. Herd size has tended to increase, especially in the dairy industry. Some of this expansion occurred with retention of natural additions to herds, but for many herds it also involved movement of animals from one herd to another. In some cases bTB has been traced to Mexican cattle entering the US as Holstein feeder animals and roping/rodeo steers. Unfortunately, in a few cases contact between these animals and other animals destined for breeding herds has occurred. This time frame has also seen the growth of farmed deer, elk, and bison herds, much of which was unregulated until recent years and in which some level of bTB may have persisted. The conspicuous feature of this change is the nature and amount of animal movement.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9I36A4O1.htm A second Emmet County farm has been classified as being infected with bovine tuberculosis in Michigan. State officials say a first herd tested positive in March. An investigation found that a breeding bull from that herd had been leased to the second Emmet County producer. Emmet County is in a zone where herds must be tested at least once every three years and sometimes more often, depending on the type of cattle sold.
http://www.9and10news.com/Category/Story/?id=254474&cID=1 In March 2010, the Michigan Department of Agriculture found a bovine Tuberculosis positive herd in Emmet County. It marked the second herd infected in Emmet County in 2010. That has some people worried, because two more infected herds would mean tighter regulations for local farmers.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/business/farming/4124935/Farmers-get-Tb-warning A Tb-infected cow, originally from the West Coast, was discovered in the Edendale area earlier this year, sparking fears the disease could return to the province. Concerns were raised about farmers buying cattle from the West Coast, considered to be a higher risk area, and moving them to Southland.
http://www.9and10news.com/Category/Story/?id=254474&cID=1 In March 2010, the Michigan Department of Agriculture found a bovine Tuberculosis positive herd in Emmet County. It marked the second herd infected in Emmet County in 2010. That has some people worried, because two more infected herds would mean tighter regulations for local farmers.
http://www.vetsweb.com/news/bovine-tb-discovered-in-south-west-france-1399.html Bovine TB discovered in South West France 24 Aug 2010 - on a farm in Ariège in the Southern of France. 83 animals were culled as a precaution and twelve other farms in the area are under supervision. The incident dates back to April when one of the animals appeared to have vesicles, revealed during a routine inspection at the abattoir. However, it took several weeks before the authorities could definitively say it concerned bovine TB. In France, an average of thirty cases of the disease is detected per year.
http://www.libyanvet.com/apps/blog/entries/show/4761036-new-case-of-bovine-tb-in-south-of-france In south west France a new case of bovine tuberculosis has been found. It is the third contaminated farm in this region. The 500 animals on the farm will be culled, according to local veterinary services. The first case of bovine TB was in Ariège (see previous), close to the Spanish border. A few days later, a second case of the disease was found in the same area. A total of 110 cows have been culled on both farms. Around 30 farms are under quarantine now. Tests at nine suspected farms appeared to be negative.
http://www.kdvr.com/lifestyle/sns-ap-co--cowquarantine,0,7856508.story The cows were diagnosed with TB in April. Tests showed a "significant level" of infection within the 500-cow southern Colorado herd, which were all slaughtered.
http://www.meattradenewsdaily.co.uk/news/280910/usa___more_cases_of_bovine_tb.aspx The Michigan Department of Agriculture says that following the discovery of bovine TB in a herd in Emmet County in March, one of teh bulls from the herd has been connected to a second farm. This makes it the second herd infected in Emmet County.
http://mn4h.com/beef/components/pdfs/Mgmt.%20of%20Bovine%20TB%20in%20Wildlife%20in%20Canada's%20National%20Parks%20-%20Ken%20Kingdon,%20Doug%20Bergeson,%20Tim%20Sallows.pdf Management of Bovine Tuberculosis in Canada's National Park, July 2009.
TB outbreak at Mt Algidus - cattle moved to Mid and North Canterbury farms, but were quickly detected and slaughtered.
“We have found it, we have contained it,” Animal Health Board regional co-ordinator for the Northern South Island Danny Templeman said.
"However, the disease may have spread in the Rakaia Gorge itself, and testing is under way".
He said three farms in both the North and Mid Canterbury areas were infected from Mt Algidus stock. The stock were traced through animal status declaration forms, 10 were detected with the disease, and slaughtered.
A larger number had been slaughtered following the original detection of Tb on Mt Algidus, but the number would not be revealed for privacy reasons. Further testing of Mt Algidus breeding stock could not be carried out as yet, as calving was under way.
The board is testing herds on 17 high country stations upstream of the Rakaia Gorge, on both sides of the river. The “special testing area” is 154,000 hectares and has over 10,000 stock which will need testing. “We need to work out where the Tb is and then push it back,” Mr Templeman said.
Tb has been confirmed in four possums and four wild pigs from the area surrounding Mt Algidus. The board has contracted a worker to undertake a possum survey to determine if there has been further infection of the marsupial population. In NZ possums are 'claimed' to be the main host of the disease. All wild animals and livestock returning tests to date have had “Type 19” strain, the same type found in South Westland, Karamea and the Hutt Valley.
Mr Templeman said the testing and survey operation in the gorge would be a costly one, adding up to hundreds of thousands of dollars, funded through farmer levies and government funding.
The spread of the disease had shown the importance of farmers filling out animal status declaration forms every time stock was moved or received, he said. The board compensates farmers for slaughtered stock to the level of 65%of the market value.
becky
5 Oct 2011, 6:37 PM
MEXICO Bovine tuberculosis restrictions have been lifted.
The previous restrictions limited transportation of cattle across state lines — a huge impediment to several large dairy calf farm operations in Curry and Roosevelt counties. The restrictions subjected dairy and beef cattle producers to a series of costly and lengthy tests.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to lift all restrictions is particularly significant for eastern New Mexico.
All of the state was placed under mandatory movement restrictions and testing requirements in 2008, after isolated cases of bovine TB were found in Curry and Roosevelt counties. Two years ago, those restrictions were lifted for all counties except Curry and Roosevelt.
“This has been a long road to get these restrictions lifted,” said State Veterinarian Dave Fry. “It’s a major economic issue with the producers in... (Curry and Roosevelt) counties. It’s cost them a lot of money.”
Fry said New Mexico was one of just four states under restriction. He said California and portions of Minnesota and Michigan remain under USDA restrictions because of bovine TB.
Fry said lifting the restrictions came only after 24 consecutive months of tests showed New Mexico free of the disease. Fry said testing included monitoring wildlife such as deer, which can and have contracted the disease in other states such as Michigan.
“We have no evidence that it’s in wildlife in New Mexico,” Fry said.
A USDA spokesperson said state livestock inspectors have conducted more than 200,000 bovine TB tests since the restrictions were imposed. There are an estimated 330,000 dairy cows and approximately 1.5 million head of cattle in the state.
Info from /www.cnjonline.com/news/restrictions-45182-bovine-tuberculosis.html
becky
5 Oct 2011, 6:33 PM
US MINNESOTA After a six-year 'battle against bovine tuberculosis' the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved Minnesota's application to be declared free of bovine TB. That formal designation will mean fewer expenses for testing and monitoring the disease.
The disease was limited to animals in the far northwest quadrant of Minnesota, but for a time, livestock producers anywhere in the state were affected by more stringent testing and monitoring guidelines.
The board of animal health said monitoring of deer populations in northwest Minnesota will continue. The board said 2010 was the first year that no confirmed TB positive wild deer were detected.
Info from www.twincities.com/business/ci_19045640
Sally
2 Oct 2011, 6:54 PM
NEW MEXICO The U.S. Department of Argriculture has determined the threat of bovine tuberculosis has been eradicated from the state of New Mexico, according to a press release issued by U.S. Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall.
In September 2008, USDA placed ranches and dairies across the state of New Mexico under mandatory movement restrictions and testing requirements after a positive bovine TB case was identified in the state earlier that year.
Two years ago, those restrictions were lifted for all counties except Curry and Roosevelt.
Info from /www.cnjonline.com/news/state-45147-usda-restrictions.html
Sally
2 Oct 2011, 6:51 PM
CANADA An outbreak of bovine tuberculosis, believed to be traced back to a Cherryville area farm, has forced quarantines across B.C. and Alberta.
The case was confirmed back in May, at which time testing was being done on a farm near Cherryville.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency initially quarantined 29 farms in B.C. and 20 have since been removed. There are also 11 farms, mostly feedlots, quarantined in Alberta. Quarantines are put in place when there has been some sort of contact with the farm of origin.
The CFIA will not release the number of cattle affected, or their location, due to privacy concerns.
“In most cases they are small numbers on each of these farms,” said Dr. Robert Cooper, Veterinary Program Specialist, Western Area Animal Health, CFIA.
DEPOPULATION. All of the cattle from the farm of origin have been slaughtered and the investigation is ongoing as examinations continue and a source of contamination is sought.
Info from www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/vernonmorningstar/news/130885508.html#0_undefined,0_
INDIANA Here the skin test is used as the herd test it was designed to be for. The farmer has seen all 200 of the animals on his farm destroyed to prevent spreading the TB to other area farms. The farmer will have to wait a period of time before animals will be permitted on the property again.
The Indiana State Board of Animal Health says testing has been completed for bovine tuberculosis among the infected herd, the first such case in Indiana since the 1970s.
The TB case was confirmed in December 2010 after a beef cow tested positive for the illness at slaughter. Animal health staff began testing animals over 1,100 animals in ten states which may have had contact with the Dearborn County herd.
Throughout the investigation, the BOAH determined only 15 beef animals with the Dearborn County herd had tested positive for TB. Those animals were euthanized for confirmatory testing.
INDIANA UPDATE The Indiana State Board of Animal Health says testing has been completed for bovine tuberculosis among the infected herd, the first such case in Indiana since the 1970s.
The TB case was confirmed in December 2010 after a beef cow tested positive for the illness at slaughter. Animal health staff began testing animals over 1,100 animals in ten states which may have had contact with the Dearborn County herd.
Throughout the investigation, the BOAH determined only 15 beef animals with the Dearborn County herd had tested positive for TB. Those animals were euthanized for confirmatory testing.
The farmer has seen all 200 of the animals on his farm destroyed to prevent spreading the TB to other area farms. The farmer will have to wait a period of time before animals will be permitted on the property again.
Sally
20 Sep 2011, 9:10 PM
www.ashburtonguardian.co.nz/news/todays-news/5273-shock-tb-discovery-in-rakaia-gorge-cow.html & nbsp; NEW ZEALAND
An investigation is under way after bovine tuberculosis (TB) was confirmed in a cow near the Upper Rakaia Gorge. It's the first outbreak of TB in the area for a number of years and it is being described as a shock, with authorities working closely with the farming community in the Rakaia Gorge trying to determine the source of the outbreak. The infected animal was part of a beef breeding herd grazing at the Wilberforce tributary and it was uncovered during routine testing. Some other animals on the property have also been tested for the disease, but the results are still being analysed.
The Animal Health Board's (AHB) national disease control manager for Canterbury, Kevin Crews, said bovine TB has subsequently been found in three wild pigs and four possums near the infected property. "This discovery is abnormal in the area, as infected wild animals have never previously been identified in the Rakaia Gorge," he said. DNA analysis should help to identify the most likely cause of infection, but the results may take some time.
An intensive livestock TB testing plan has also been implemented and the infected herd has been placed under official movement restrictions. All animals in the herd that test positive for TB will be slaughtered and be subject to post-mortem. A range of wild animal surveys is being planned to establish if there is any spread of the disease.
Laboratory testing of any TB lesions will then determine the presence of the disease.
It is a popular recreational hunting area. However, hunters are being asked to avoid the Rakaia Gorge over the next few months while these surveys are being undertaken.
Samples of wild deer will be taken in the area over the coming months.
The AHB is not planning any possum control operations in the area. However, it intends to post-mortem some possums, which will be caught by local skin and fur trappers.
Such outbreaks apparently happened from time to time in areas like North Canterbury or the West Coast where TB was known to be in wildlife, but the outbreak in Mid Canterbury was unusual.
INDIANAPOLIS 15 beef cattle slaughtered in south eastern Indiana after testing positive for bTB. Testing of all local herds was completed after a case located at slaughter house December 2011 and traced back to Dearborn County. That cow was Indiana's first such case of the disease in more than three decades. All 15 of the cattle that tested positive for tuberculosis were associated with the herd the infected cow came from.
Forty-seven free-ranging deer near the herd were also tested but none tested positive for the illness. Testing will continue during the fall deer hunting season.
The true cost of bTB free status - it seems it has been achieved with depopulation of herds with reactors and quarantine/further testing of herds with suspected cases.
There is a wildlife reservoir (deer) The disease is still found in wild deer and efforts are underway to build barriers that prevent wildlife and cattle in at-risk areas from mingling at sources of feed and water. To date, 830 farms have signed up to create such risk mitigation plans.
57 counties in Michigan's Lower Peninsula, have been granted the coveted title of “Bovine TB Free Zones."
Only four counties in eastern Lower Peninsula — Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency and Oscoda — remain in the most restricted zone, that requires annual testing of herds and testing of animals before they are moved from the zone into other parts of the state. Counties near that core zone — Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Otsego and Presque Isle counties — continue to have lesser restrictions as well.
However, the new relaxing of restrictions doesn't entirely erase that burden, Durst said. Wisconsin's state law recognizes a state by its lowest status, so until even the small zone of remaining restricted zone taints the entire state for trade with Michigan.
becky
9 Sep 2011, 7:52 PM
Most of the US is supposed to be TB free so one does wonder about the recent 130 page report (www.agweb.com/news/news.aspx?ArticleId=307752) Assessment of Pathways for the Introduction and Spread of Mycobacterium bovis in the United States, 2009, in March 2011.
'When infected animals are identified, USDA works diligently with local and state animal health officials to determine the source and extent of spread and to eradicate the infection. In 1992, USDA analyzed information collected during outbreaks to find out what caused the introduction and spread of the disease. Since then, there have been significant changes in the livestock industry and new information about disease spread is available'.
'The 2011 report provides a retrospective epidemiologic analysis of outbreaks that took place between 1998 and 2009 in four states (California, Michigan, Minnesota, and New Mexico). After detailed analysis of the epidemiology of each of the four outbreaks, the report identifies and discusses several stakeholders' risk factors for the introduction and spread of bovine TB. The report also details several potential pathways for disease introduction and spread as well as practices that should decrease risk of infection'.
'The information contained in this assessment is intended to help identify new measures for controlling and preventing spread of this disease in the U.S.'
Sally
3 Sep 2011, 2:23 PM
In France they have just identified one animal in a herd of 338 as bTB positive, ie a reactor. The herd concerned is in Cantal of Allanche (in the Auvergne). It is highly likely the whole herd will now be destroyed. An article (www.lamontagne.fr) tells us that the last case in France was in 2005 (France has apparently been TB free for 5 years).
Although testing at abattoirs does continue, routine testing does not take place on farms any more. It will therefore be a difficult task to trace the source of the infection. The farms in the area are now under restrictions and all animals near the affected farm will be screened.
In France any disease considered a zoonosis - as bTB is considered there - the owner of animals killed as a result is reimbursed enough to restock animals considered to be of the same financial value. France considers the risk of bTB to people is 'faible' (slight, weak, low level ...).
Livestock farmers in 11 Michigan counties will get an additional $500,000 to fight bovine tuberculosis.
The money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture is the third allocation for the northern Michigan counties over the past three months.
So far, $1.5 million has been invested in the effort to wipe out the disease in those counties.
Information from: www.freep.com/article/20110730/BUSINESS06/110730005/-500K-given-fight-bovine-tuberculosis-Michigan?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext %7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs
becky
24 Jun 2011, 12:12 PM
CANADA Bovine tuberculosis has been confirmed on a farm in the Cherryville area east of Vernon after being discovered in May.
The case was apparently traced to a farm in the Cherryville area east of Vernon and discovered in one of the farm's cattle after it was slaughtered in the U.S. The farm has been quarantined to prevent the disease from spreading to other herds. Once the disease has been detected it must be processed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The CFIA tests all animals and all infected animals and, as well, all exposed susceptible animals may be destroyed. This is the only proven way to eliminate the disease.
The last outbreak of bovine TB in British Columbia (www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2007/11/11/bovine-tb.html?ref=rss) was in 2007 when 470 cattle in British Columbia and Alberta were destroyed after a random test showed a bull that had lived in both provinces had bovine tuberculosis. For details of just how seriously Canada treat outbreaks and the errors that can occure see the case study at www.bovinetb.co.uk/article.php?article_id=63
Information from www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/06/23/bc-bovine-tb.html and www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-62834-26-.htm
becky
20 Jun 2011, 2:55 PM
PINAL COUNTY, USA 200 steers were quarantined in Pinal County when a single case of bovine tuberculosis was discovered. June 2011 authorities revealed that a rodeo steer, which tested negative for bovine tuberculosis before it crossed the border, retested positive when its owner tried to ship it to New Mexico. The state requires testing before accepting imported cattle, said John Hunt, the acting state veterinarian. The infected animal was part of a herd of 200 rodeo steers that were imported from Mexico in March. The animal was destroyed, and the rest of the herd has been quarantined. Hunt said the most prudent thing to do would be to destroy the rest of the herd to avoid any possible spread of the highly contagious disease.
'It's (TB) slow to express itself. A lot of times it may take several months before it would show up in the test,' Hunt said. 'It's not a perfect test. Cattle can pick up bovine TB from other sick animals by simply touching noses or sharing space with infected animals that cough or sneeze', Hunt said. Although humans can catch the disease from drinking unpasteurized milk, they rarely catch it from working with the animals. The major concern in the rodeo-steer community is economic', Hunt said.
Arizona will not lose its 'bovine TB-free' status (held since the late 1970s). The designation makes it easier to trade cattle over state lines. Arizona has about 1 million cattle and is a major steer supplier for rodeos in surrounding states. Having a reputation for bovine TB could seriously impact sales. A rancher with a tuberculosis problem incurs high costs whether he or she decides to test the animals or kill them.
To test a steer, a vet injects a small amount of dead virus into the animal and the animal must endure months of further exams if the area swells. The animals then require two negative tests, 60 days apart, and another test six months later. The extra testing costs $50 to $60 a steer and can lock up a rancher's business for months. But killing the animals is also a big loss - rodeo steers are worth anywhere from $450 to $600 each. The federal government sometimes indemnifies ranchers in cases of disease, but no decision has been made in this case. Although the Pinal County case appears to be isolated, some Arizona ranchers are keeping a close eye on the problem.
Steers from Mexico are considered a high risk for harboring diseases, so there has been a recent push to breed domestic steers only. Interestingly federal authorities were already reviewing testing procedures with an eye toward more rigorous standards. In addition to testing animals when they are imported, the proposal would require retesting 120 to 180 days after they enter the country. No follow-up tests are currently required at the federal level, but some states require retesting of foreign cattle before they cross state lines. The proposal is out for public consultation and no date has been set for when changes would take effect.
ARIZONA, USA a Pinal County rancher has been ordered to quarantine 199 rodeo steers after one animal in the herd tested positive for bovine tuberculosis. It is the first case since 1978.
The rancher must either test the entire herd - an expensive and time-consuming process - or kill each animal.
Apparently the infected steer tested negative for the disease when it arrived with the rest of the herd from Mexico, March 2011, but tested positive in May. A postmortem exam revealed that the steer likely had bovine TB before it crossed the border.
CALIFORNIA Tuberculosis detected in cows at a San Bernardino County dairy, in April 2011. The diagnosis was made after a mass, which was later confirmed positive, was found in a cow during routine slaughter inspection, according to a California Department of Food and Agriculture. CDFA veterinarians, in coordination with the United States Department of Agriculture, did tests on other cows in the herd where the infected animal was found and determined that tuberculosis is present in them as well. Source: http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_17936257
CHINO - State and federal officials announced it was a Chino-area herd in which bovine tuberculosis was detected in a dairy cow during a routine examination at a slaughterhouse. Since the finding, two more Chino dairy cows have been found to have been carrying the disease. The slaughterhouse cow came from the same Chino dairy where the other two cows were found. Officials stress that while tuberculosis is a crippling disease, it does not threaten the quality and safety of milk and meat products in California because the milk is pasteurized, officials said. The process destroys organisms, including tuberculosis, that could be harmful to humans. Source: http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_17943209?nclick_check=1
NEW ZEALAND Feral animals have again been blamed for the discovery of bovine tuberculosis in another Southland dairy cow, the second confirmed case in April 2100. TB free Southland committee chairman Mike O'Brien yesterday downplayed the positive testing of the second animal, on an Eastern Southland farm, saying it was coincidence the two cows were discovered in the same month. An infected animal was found on a farm at the southern end of the Takitimu mountains this month. Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/4930346/Bovine-TB-discovery-blamed-on-feral-animals
MINNESOTA The Minnesota Board of Animal Health recently announced that the State of Minnesota will submit an application for statewide bovine Tuberculosis (TB)-free status at the end of the April 2011. The request comes less than six years after the discovery of an infected beef herd in July 2005. The Board anticipates approval of the application in late summer or early fall of this year. In recent years, status downgrades have been the cause of increased testing and movement requirements for Minnesota cattle, both in-state and out. With U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approval, the status upgrade would bring relief to most Minnesota cattle producers. Source: http://www.farmandranchguide.com/news/livestock/minnesota-to-apply-for-statewide-tb-free-status/article_998a09a0-6d2e-11e0-9cb0-...
becky
2 May 2011, 10:02 AM
MICHIGAN During ay 2011 livestock producers from 11 Michigan counties (Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Montmorency, Presque Isle, Oscoda and Otsego counties) can apply for financial help ($500,000 is available). Source: http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/Funds_Available_For__121073744.html?ref=744
becky
21 Apr 2011, 6:33 PM
MICHIGAN April 11 Routine bovine Tuberculosis surveillance testing conducted by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the USDA recently found two bovine TB positive beef herds in Alpena County in the Modified Accredited Zone (Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, Oscoda and Presque Isle counties in northeastern Lower Michigan). Source: http://www.farmanddairy.com/news/michigan-confirms-bovine-tb-in-two-alpena-co-herds/23970.html
NEW ZEALAND April 11 Bay of Plenty cattle and deer herds are free of bovine tuberculosis (TB) now that two previously infected properties have been cleared of the disease. "Bovine TB is known to be present in wildlife across 40 per cent of the country and possums continue to be the main source of the disease in farmed cattle and deer herds.
MICHIGAN April 11 Michigan officials say they've recently confirmed bovine tuberculosis in two Alpena County beef herds. State agricultural officials say that bovine TB has been detected in 52 cattle herds and four privately owned cervid operations, which usually involve deer, since testing began. Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20110414/NEWS06/110414026/Bovine-TB-confirmed-2-Alpena-County-herds
becky
9 Apr 2011, 5:53 PM
In Minnesota an infected herd was identified in 2005. After a six-year eradication effort the state will apply to the U.S. Agriculture Department to be re-certified as free of bovine TB. The source of the disease has never been found but the assumption is that the disease came into Minnesota with cattle from another state. The TB bacteria found in the cattle typically originates in the southern U.S. or Mexico. A total of 12 herds were infected.
GERMANY Published 15/4/10 report 'Bovine tuberculosis : making a case for effective surveillance' (http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FHYG2FHYG139_01%2FS0950268810000786a.pdf&code=52d3dabc6be1c6c17ed3eff3d6c22b2f
Germany was declared free of bovine tuberculosis in December 1996. Annual testing was no longer required, the disease being monitored by the meat hygiene authorities. However, in 2008, a total of 23 bTB cases were officially reported in Germany. In 2009, the number of reported cases was almost the same (22 confirmed cases). About 0.012 % of the herds in Germany are estimated to be bTB-positive. This is based on the findings of the official meat inspections. There was a spatial and temporal clustering of bTB in the north-west of Germany in 2008. The report recommended 'a nationwide intradermal tuberculin testing at least of all dairy cattle to help to assess the true distribution of bTB, even if this approach is costly and labour-intensive'.
In south west France a new case of bTB found third in this region. The 500 animals on the farm all culled. The first case was in Ariège, close to the Spanish border(detected on August 24 2010) during a routine control in the abattoir. A few days later, a second case of the disease was found in the same area. A total of 110 cows have been culled on both farms. Around 30 farms in the French department were put under quarantine now. Around, 30 cases of bovine TB are found in France.
THE North East of the UK is apparently officially free of bTb with testing interval now every four years. The current position is calculated by the percentage of cases seen in our area over a number of years. And if the average increases above a certain figure laid down in the legislation the bTB free status will be withdrawn. Currently there are a low number of breakdowns a year and the infection does not appear to be present in our local wildlife. Most recent cases seen in the North East have been as a result of tracings of cattle bought in from herds that have later been found to be infected. These cattle have often come from the control areas which are on yearly testing and where wildlife reservoirs are found.:And the author of this news item, Iain Carrington of Intake Vets, Hexham reminds us that no bTb test is 100% accurate.
INDIANA 28/2/11 http://www.cattlenetwork.com/bovine-vet/Bovine-TB-Case-Traced-to-Indiana-Farm-117078413.html?ref=413 and also http://newsandtribune.com/clarkcounty/x62859092/First-case-of-Bovine-TB-confirmed-in-Indiana-since-the-1970s Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) has identified bovine tuberculosis (commonly called “TB,” or more formally known as Mycobacterium bovis) in a beef cattle herd in Southeastern Indiana. The disease was found in a cow that had under gone routine testing during slaughter at a meat processing facility in Michigan. Apparently first case in 30 years.
The emphasis on eliminating bovine tuberculosis from Southland, New Zealand is to shift from on-farm surveillance and testing to the total eradication of feral animals harbouring the disease. Eradicating feral animals (possums) that potentially had the disease would be the major focus during the next five years.
"With farms throughout Wales faced with the huge burden of extra testing, there is a real need to revisit the current pre-movement testing regime."
"I believe it is regrettable that we were the only farming organisation which objected to the introduction of pre- movement testing in low or zero incidence areas — a view based upon analyses of herd breakdowns which showed incidence levels in parts of Wales to be lower than in Scotland, a country which is officially bTB free and has no premovement testing requirement."
Sally
19 Oct 2010, 7:37 PM
Email response dated dated 18 October 2010 from Dr DF I am not aware of this being the case in the UK. It is likely that the National Public Health dept may have some info.This information makes interesting reading, is from a good journal, and suggests that humans-cattle transmission may occur (given that the TB test is not 100% accurate at determining bTB this may be important) – at least pressure should be out on WAG / farmers to demonstrate that they are not involved in the cycle as well as part of balancing exercise….
Sally
19 Oct 2010, 7:35 PM
Email dated 14 October 2010 The abstract on these links seem to imply that Ethiopian cattle have been found to have human TB. Are you aware of anyone asking this question in any other country, including UK
