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Wisconsin lifts TB restrictions on Minnesota cattle

The USDA has restored Minnesota’s Bovine TB-free status. An infected herd was found in the northwestern part of the state in July of 2005. By the end of 2006, the infected herd number grew to 11 prompting the Ag Department to reduce Minnesota’s status and many states to put restrictions on cattle from the state. A year ago, all but four counties in the state were reclassified to TB-free. An all-out effort by producers and the Minnesota Board of Animal Health has eliminated the disease and restored the TB-free status to those four counties last week.

Neighboring Wisconsin State Veterinarian Dr. Bob Ehlenfeldt has removed testing requirements on cattle entering his state from Minnesota. The only requirements for Minnesota cattle entering Wisconsin now will be official identification and certificates of veterinary inspection – the same requirements that all livestock entering Wisconsin need.

USDA also lifted restrictions on all cattle in New Mexico. Bovine TB had been found and restrictions put in place in 2008. In 2010, the restrictions were lifted on all but two counties in the state, now those two counties have been declared TB-free as well.

Bovine tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that spreads between animals in close contact, through the air and in contaminated milk and manure. Restrictions are lifted after 24 consecutive months of testing finds no disease.