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Texas, USDA authorities work to contain cattle ticks

The USDA and Texas state authorities have established a temporary preventative quarantine zone in the far southern tip of Texas following the discovery of cattle fever ticks outside that state’s permanent quarantine area.

“We have now seven infested premises that we found just in the last few months,” said Dr. Dee Ellis, Texas State Veterinarian, in an interview with Brownfield Ag News.  He says that’s a concern.

Cattle inside the permanent quarantine area, a 600-mile stretch of Texas adjacent to the Mexican border, are thoroughly checked before they’re allowed to move.  On the other hand, livestock outside the permanent quarantine zone, where the ticks were recently discovered, move freely.

“We are working diligently to determine the source of the infestation,” said Dr. Ellis, “contact all the folks, check all the pastures and follow any traces of animals that have been sold out of there recently to ensure that ticks have not moved any farther into the state of Texas.”

The ticks, which infest cattle and a few other species, spread bovine babesiosis, which hasn’t been in the U.S. since World War II, but kills 90 percent of infected cattle.  It’s USDA Entomologist Matt Messenger’s job to keep that disease out of the U.S. cattle herd.

“The disease is strictly in cattle, the blood disease babesiosis, so by eradicating the ticks, you don’t have to worry about the disease spreading and by eradicating the ticks, you also eradicate the disease as well,” Messenger told Brownfield Ag News.

Of further concern are wild Nilgai antelope known to be infested by the ticks.  Texas State Vet Dee Ellis tells Brownfield that cattlemen should not fear.  He says the USDA and the Texas Animal Health Commission are working to ensure that the ticks do not spread beyond the narrow strip of land where they currently are.

“We’re very experienced at this,” said Ellis, “so right now I can tell you that there is no risk to the other states and other trade partners, but it’s our job to jump on the incursion as quickly as possible to ensure it doesn’t spread any farther.”

AUDIO: Dr. Dee Ellis (10 min. MP3)


AUDIO: Matt Messenger (20 min. MP3)

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