December 17, 2009

Nebraska's cattle herd maintains bovine-TB free status

After six months and nearly 20,000 cattle tested, it appears Nebraska's cattle industry will keep its bovine tuberculosis-free status.

According to state veterinarian Dennis Hughes, no additional cases of TB have been found since the initial finding in a Rock County herd last summer.

However, Hughes said that the state still has to prove to the USDA and surrounding states that the disease is contained and controlled and it has not spread. He also said that the state has reached a compromise with federal officials to bring the testing to a conclusion and to remove the infected herd from quarantine.

Earlier in June, officials quarantined 32 herds with about 15,000 adult cattle in north-central Nebraska for bovine TB testing.