New rules ease cattle herd movement in Michigan

State agriculture officials have updated rules to make cattle movement easier - bringing Michigan in line with federal rules for bovine tuberculosis (TB).

The Michigan Department of Agriculture said in a release Monday the relaxed rules provide free movement for unaffected cattle herds. Producers in a majority of the state may move cattle across established federal zone boundaries as long as they have a movement permit and electronic identification.

The exception is a zone that includes the northern Lower Michigan counties of Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet and Otsego. That zone has more stringent requirements because bovine TB has been detected in cattle and wildlife.

Bovine TB causes severe coughing, fatigue, emaciation and debilitation in cattle and results in reduced milk and meat production.