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Texas cattle producers are starting the new year with a big zero, and livestock health officials say it's cause for celebration and strengthened resolve to keep it that way. "For the first time in the 50-plus year battle against cattle brucellosis, none of Texas' 153,000 cattle herds are under quarantine," said Dr. Terry Conger, state epidemiologist for the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), the state's livestock health regulatory agency. Dr. Conger said this brings the state a giant step closer to wiping out the bacterial infection that struck more than 8,300 cattle herds in the state during the past 14 years. More than 20,000 Texas cattle herds were infected in the mid-1950s, when brucellosis eradication efforts were initiated "I don't know how long Texas will stay at zero quarantined herds, since we're actively testing and looking for those last hard-to-find infected herds," said Dr. Conger, a 25-year veteran of brucellosis eradication. "Now is the most important time to be vigilant for this disease." He predicted that several infected herds will be found before the state will stay 'clean' and qualify for the "Free" classification. "We are so close to eradication," said Dr. Conger. |
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