February 5, 2008

 

US cattle now designated as Brucellosis-free in all 50 states

 

 

With Texas reaching Brucellosis Class Free status, the US now can claim the same for all 50 states plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, according to the USDA.

 

It is the first time in the 74-year history of the brucellosis programme that all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have achieved Class Free status simultaneously.

 

Bruce Knight, undersecretary for USDA's marketing and regulatory programmes, said an effort must be made to focus on eradicating brucellosis from the free-ranging elk and bison populations in the Greater Yellowstone Area.

 

Class Free status is based on a state finding no known brucellosis in cattle for the 12 months preceding designation as Class Free, the USDA said.

 

However, if brucellosis is found in more than one herd of cattle in a brucellosis free state within a two-year period, the state is downgraded to Class A status.

 

The presence of brucellosis in free-ranging bison and elk in Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park threatens cattle in surrounding states.

 

Restrictions on the interstate movement of cattle become less stringent as a state approaches or achieves Class Free status. In the worst cases, whole states can be put under US federal quarantine.

 

Brucellosis is a bacterial disease that causes decreased milk production, weight loss, infertility, loss of young and lameness in cattle, elk and bison. The disease is contagious and can, though rarely, affect humans.

 

There is no known treatment for brucellosis, and depopulation of infected and exposed animals is the only effective means of disease containment and eradication.