Minnesota Confirms TB Infected Herd

ST. PAUL - Jul 13/05 - SNS -- The Minnesota Board of Animal Health (BAH) and USDA confirmed a case of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in a Roseau County beef cattle herd.

The initial case of TB was detected during routine slaughter surveillance when a USDA veterinarian detected suspicious lesions in a five-year-old cow. Tissue samples were submitted to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, where a diagnosis of bovine TB was confirmed.

The cow was traced back to northern Minnesota using a 'back tag' placed on the cow prior to being sold for slaughter. The herd of origin was quarantined, tested, and an investigation initiated.

"The entire herd was tested in order to verify the herd was infected," said BAH Executive Director and State Veterinarian Dr. Bill Hartmann. "All animals that tested suspect for the disease were purchased by the USDA for further testing."

Further testing at the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory revealed that the majority of the suspect animals had internal lesions consistent with bovine TB. The disease control protocol for continued eradication of this disease calls for depopulation of the infected herd. The USDA is currently working on details of depopulating the infected herd with the full support and cooperation of the herd owner with the best interest of the beef industry in mind.

The state of Minnesota has been involved in TB eradication programs since 1917, with the last known case in 1971. It is important for Minnesota to maintain its TB Free state status as it allows producers to move animals interstate and internationally without added testing requirements.

Bovine TB caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium bovis is a respiratory disease of cattle. It is a chronic, slowly progressive disease that does not spread easily. Infected animals may be capable of transmitting an infection to other animals even if they appear healthy. In a cooperative eradication campaign by the livestock industry and animal health officials, the U.S. has all but eliminated bovine TB.

Exposure to bovine tuberculosis through the milk or meat supply is extremely unlikely. Meat inspectors check all cattle entering the marketplace for signs of the disease before and after slaughter. Any animal showing these signs is withheld from the food supply. In addition, adequate cooking destroys the bacteria.