Eleven more cattle test positive
by Cat Urbigkit, Pinedale Online!
June 26, 2008
Eleven head of cattle from a purebred herd owned by a Daniel rancher have tested seropositive for brucellosis. With more than 600 cattle on this ranch tested, there have been 26 animals seropositive for exposure to brucellosis, state animal health officials said this week. This includes both the ranch’s commercial and purebred cattle herds.
Two animals from this herd tested positive at a sale barn recently, leading to testing of the entire commercial herd last week, where another 13 cattle in the 327-head herd tested positive. On Monday, the same producer’s purebred herd was bled, with another 11 head seropositive in this herd of about 300.
Owners of 12 contact herds are currently being contacted by animal health officials to set up a testing program for these herds as well. Since most of the herds are out on rangelands, they will have to be bled for brucellosis testing once they return to home ranches this fall. Meanwhile, the herds will be under a hold order not to sell any cattle until the herds are tested.
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