June 20, 2025

Beef cattle disease found in herd in Iowa, US

The Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship of Iowa, the United States, warned farmers on June 13 after a beef cattle disease was confirmed to have been found in a Van Buren County herd.

The department said it's the first time on record the disease has been seen in Iowa.

The disease, Theileria orientalis Ikeda, is caused by the Asian longhorned tick which was only recently identified in the state of Iowa, according to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. The species is known to be invasive.

The protozoan parasite Theileria is carried by the tick and causes bovine infectious anemia after infecting red and white blood cells. In some cases, the infection can result in death.

Theileria is known to primarily affect ungulates such as cattle, deer, and sheep, while having no known impact on public health, the agriculture department said. It added that while there are no approved treatments available in the US, protection is best achieved through tick control methods and proper biosecurity to prevent blood-borne spread.

- We Are Iowa