Feed Lot Magazine Online, Most of Texas Could Be Cattle TB-Free When New Federal Regulations Go Into Effect

The majority of Texas--252 of its 254 counties--could be declared free of cattle tuberculosis (TB) infection, when new federal TB regulations go into effect in late 2000 or early 2001. Texas and other states have been working to eradicate this bacterial infection in cattle since l917, when about five percent of the nation's herds were known to have the chronic disease that causes internal lesions, and before pasteurization of milk, posed a public health threat.

Texas, New Mexico and Michigan are the only states not already carrying the "accredited TB free" designation from the USDA. Under the new TB regulations, New Mexico also would gain the "free" classification.

" The USDA is poised to institute new cattle TB regulations, and states, or areas of states, that cannot be declared free of the disease will have more requirements when moving cattle out of state," said Dr. Terry Beals, Texas state veterinarian and executive director for the Texas Animal Health Commission. "Cattle herds in 252 of 254 Texas counties have been free of TB infection for more than five years and we will be asking the USDA to grant Texas 'split-state' status, so the majority of the state's 153,000 herd owners can continue to move cattle interstate without restrictions."

On the other hand, it could be tougher to transport cattle out of the areas that will not make the "cut for TB-free status."

" In the El Paso Milk Shed, all but nine of the 10 dairies have had recurring bouts of low-level TB infection during the past 15 years. A beef herd in the area also was found to be infected in the mid-1990s and was depopulated. The two cattle herds now quarantined in the U.S. are in this milk shed, which runs along the U.S.-Mexican border," said Beals. He emphasized that these dairies do not pose a public health threat, as pasteurized dairy products and cooked meat are safe to consume.

" In a last-ditch effort to finally eradicate this disease and stop the recurrence of infection, representatives from the USDA have approached the 10 dairy operators about a possible one-time buy-out and liquidation of the herds," he said. "Under the agreement, dairy cattle would be banned from the sites indefinitely." He pointed out that, even though this could solve the long-term issue of re-infection, the area still could not be declared free of cattle tuberculosis for at least three years after the last infected herd is destroyed.

He said new, more stringent requirements for moving cattle from the El Paso area could involve tagging feeder cattle with individually numbered eartags, as well as testing all breeding cattle for TB prior to movement.

" These additional requirements are no small order," said Dr. Beals. "Area ranchers and veterinarians would be significantly affected by the additional costs, workload and record keeping duties. TB testing all breeding cattle will be time-consuming, expensive and could hurt trade opportunities for producers."

" We are working with El Paso area producers to determine how best to draw the split state boundaries and address other concerns of producers, so that we might minimize the impact on the area. I encourage cattle producers to meet with us, as these issues will affect us for the foreseeable future," said Beals.