May 26, 2005

US bans some Mexican cattle

The United States has banned cattle imports from Durango, Mexico because of the lack of adequate safeguards against bovine tuberculosis.

Cattle from Durango account for about 17 percent or 226,180 head of all Mexican cattle shipments to the US, according to the USDA.

Bovine tuberculosis can be transmitted to humans but this is rather rare now because of eradication programs and milk pasteurization, but it is highly contagious amongst cattle.