Sometimes there are new products that have a definite place in cattle production, or we find easier ways to do things. Products are changed due to developing resistance or the need for alternatives. It’s a global market, and Canada can occasionally find itself on the outside looking in. Regulatory changes can make our lives more complicated as more paperwork is introduced, and sometimes the speed of commerce slows down.

In this column, I am going to provide a variety of tips that can work on western Canadian cow-calf operations, both commercial and purebred.

Stomach ulcers are blamed on a number of factors, but research by Dr. Murray Jelinski has found they always happen in the transition from milk to grass consumption at around six weeks, resulting in a one per cent death loss. Some producers are creeping calves with very soft palatable grass hay and access to their own minerals to decrease incidence.

Clostridial vaccination is a possible prevention method, but whether it is or isn’t, the vaccine is a core one for young calves.

Speaking of clostridial vaccination, a new broader-spectrum product has just come on the market. It is called Covexin 10 but includes clostridium perfringens A. This is pretty rare in beef cattle and is seen more in mature dairy cows, but I talked to a purebred producer who had it diagnosed in younger calves that were dying. Discuss it with your herd veterinarian because, like all vaccines that have tetanus, it does not include histophilus somnus.

Vaccination tips

The latest information released by the Beef Canada Research Council is worth looking at. It’s a review of proper vaccinating techniques, which is always nice to have, not only for new employees or producers but also for those who have been in the business for a long time because over time, we can develop bad habits.

Producers pay good money for vaccines, so it’s important to look after them and take a little more time and thought to administer them properly. Vaccination is still a huge part of a producer’s biosecurity program, so keep abreast of new developments.

The BCRC put out information on core vaccines necessary in the cattle industry, and I would say pretty much all veterinarians would agree with 80 to 90 per cent of it.

Histophilus somnus should be considered a core vaccine because it is added to a lot of clostridial vaccines, and I remember when we saw the brainers and heart forms of it in our calves, especially in feedlots post-weaning. If we do see it now, it’s because there is a lack of a booster shot at the proper time.

Work in progress

We sometimes need to pat ourselves on the back for how far the industry has progressed in the last two to three decades. We’re seeing fewer navel infection and joint issues in young calves as a result of improving colostral consumption and hygiene. And we’re seeing far fewer calving issues because of proper selection for birth weight and body type in our herd sires.

Almost no dehorning is necessary now due to polled genetics, and cancer eye has a super low incidence because of dark pigment in almost all the breeds. Even Charolais animals have a darker pigment, resulting in a super low incidence. We used to perform a lot of surgeries for this condition at our clinic because of the complete white faces, and now they are a rarity.

We now try not to over-treat lameness because we know that non-steroidal anti-inflamatory drugs (NSAIDs), in a lot of cases, are a better choice. In bad cases, we can get a diagnosis before treatment. Each case is different and may simply require convalescence, trimming, surgery or, if something is incurable, shipping.

I used to do a lot of claw amputations. They are easy to recognize and worth doing, depending on the value of the animal and stage of pregnancy. It might even make sense in feeder animals. The success rate is very high.

Some feedlots have trimming tilt tables because they have recognized the recovery success rate and the growth potential, not to mention the animal welfare implications. If this service is required, look for clinics that will do it. The procedure is preferably done on a tilt table, but occasionally they can be done in a squeeze chute with good access, depending on which claw is involved. Your veterinarian will tell you their comfort level.

Record high cattle prices are helping speed up the decision to ship or treat as producers weigh the prognosis for success based on past experience. Both producers and veterinarians are more engaged now on the animal welfare side of livestock production. Again, treatment often involves NSAIDs.

A multitude of options are on the market, and veterinarians have their preferences as to which ones they want to use in each situation. Any NSAID is likely better than no NSAID in almost all situations, but producers must pay attention to withdrawal times.

We are fortunate in Canada that in most places, winter frosts and frozen yards and fields prevent transmission of lots of problems, eliminating the need for year-round treatment for internal and external parasites. This slows the development of resistance. But we still need to be cognizant of this and not over-treat. Treat for flies only when they reach the economic threshold. One life cycle in the summer may likely do it for most climates.

Foot-and-mouth disease and bovine tuberculosis have received a lot of attention lately because of recent outbreaks. Prevention needs to focus on border security, and our cattle organizations need to continually lobby the federal government on this.

I have great faith in our canine friends and the work they do, not only in drug detection but also with all citrus fruit, plants and meat. They are specialists and get lots done.

I am not a trained epidemiologist, but it appears that a new strain of bovine TB has been found in these last few outbreaks that hadn’t been detected before and isn’t found in surrounding herds, trace-outs, trace-ins or wildlife. Where is it coming from? We have one of the best surveillance systems in place during slaughter, which is how we find these cases in the first place. I also realize the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s handling of reportable diseases is always under scrutiny from our trading partners.

My last couple of points involve equipment.

When buying applicator guns, look for ones that can be used on different products. Clean them out and maintain them like you do your vaccine guns. All things will wear out, so parts should be replaced often.

Chutes and pens

For those just starting out in the cattle business, chutes, alley systems, maternity pens and calf chutes are available at auction.

Any squeeze chute or maternity pen is better than nothing because they will help you treat your animals appropriately and on time. Some may need a bit of repair, but I see chutes that are 50 years old or older that are still functioning well if maintained. This will make your life easier while maximizing animal welfare and minimizing injuries when handling.

Equipment can be upgraded as your herd grows, and herds larger than 200 head warrant a hydraulic chute. Expanding producers will seldom sell older chutes because they will be moved to a pasture to be used out there.

I hope that at least a couple of these points will resonate with you.

As well, if you ever feel a health area should be covered in these columns, plant the seed with one of the veterinary writers. Your idea or question will likely help others.

The post A best-practices review for your beef cattle herd appeared first on Grainews.

In a notice to industry Feb. 25, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said they have found three more cases while testing the birth herd of an animal confirmed positive for bovine TB late last year.

The herd in question will be euthanized, the producer compensated as per CFIA regulations and tests will be done on all animals over a year old to determine how significantly infection had spread in the herd, the agency said.

Where were the cases found?

On Nov. 29, 2024, the CFIA confirmed bovine tuberculosis in samples from a six-year-old cow after the animal had been sent for slaughter in Alberta. The animal had been raised in Saskatchewan, the agency said. The birth herd was put in quarantine as tests were done and contact tracing began for other possibly exposed herds.

It was Saskatchewan’s second brush with bovine TB in recent years. In February 2023, Canadian officials got word from the United States Department of Agriculture that tests from an animal shipped from Saskatchewan the previous fall had come back positive. In June 2023, the CFIA confirmed two further cases in the Saskatchewan herd where the flagged animal had originated.

More herds to be tested

All of the three recently identified cases were born outside of their current herd, the agency said. The investigation and “applicable movement controls” has expanded to include the originating herds of those animals.

Any herds that have been in contact with the infected herd are up for testing, the CFIA said. Contact tracing will also cover any animals that left the herd in the last five years, as well as any herds that provided animals to the farm in the last five years. Testing will be done as needed.

The strain of bovine TB has also garnered attention. Lab testing of the case found in November 2024 “found a strain that has never been identified in animals or humans in Canada, and the origin of the strain is unknown. It is not closely related to any of the recent strains in Western Canada,” the Feb. 25 notice read.

The post Bovine tuberculosis cases found in Saskatchewan appeared first on Grainews.

“Traceability is a huge part of resolving this situation quickly,” said chief executive officer Grant McLellan.

On Dec. 16, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced it was investigating a case of bovine TB identified on Nov. 29. The infected animal was slaughtered at an Alberta packer but was traced to a herd in Saskatchewan.

The herd is under quarantine until testing is complete.

“The protocols are in place. The animal was identified, and it didn’t enter the food chain,” said Alberta Beef Producers general manager Brad Dubeau.

McLellan said good record keeping and traceability are key to a smooth investigation. While beef cattle are traced via the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency’s RFID tag system, not every stop on an animal’s journey require tags to be scanned or records to be kept.

“Everything that a producer can do for the movement and the records management for their operation will just help in a situation, if someone finds themselves in a case like this,” McLellan said.

He emphasized the importance of biosecurity and traceability in case of an outbreak such as avian influenza that occurred this year among American dairy cattle.

“We want to get through that as quickly as possible and identify where that spread is happening so that we can mitigate the damages,” he added.

At press time, the CFIA had begun identifying all herds that may have had contact with the infected animal. It had also begun testing to identify the strain of bacteria, the agency said in a statement.

Identified herds are quarantined for testing and slaughtered if required.

Cases of bovine TB popped up in a Saskatchewan herd in 2023 and in a British Columbia herd in 2019. However, Canada’s TB management protocols are working well, Dubeau said.

“We are identifying these cases,” he said.

“We have a protocol. We’re ready to move forward and we’re able to navigate the situation as best we can.”

Added McLellan: “It’s a challenging disease to manage.”

He pointed to potential contact between infected wildlife and cattle. Infected cattle can also be asymptomatic.

McLellan said after the 2023 TB investigation, the SCA asked the CFIA to improve its communication processes so cattle groups and provincial officials could be informed as quickly as possible.

“We have a direct pipeline to our producers through our communication channels,” he said.

“It’s just useful, frankly, to keep those open lines of communication so that everyone has the same information.”

SCA has also advocated for improved compensation for affected producers. While producers are compensated for culled animals and costs associated with destruction and disposal, they don’t receive anything for disinfection costs. Even for smaller operations, this can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, McLellan said.

“Our position has been that CFIA should play a role not just in the containment and eradication of the disease, but they should help support the industry and that producer get back into production,” he said.

The post Bovine tuberculosis case highlights need for traceability  appeared first on Grainews.

The animal was slaughtered at a federally-licensed facility in Alberta.

The CFIA said tissue from the six-year-old cow tested positive for bovine tuberculosis at an Ottawa lab November 29th.

The Canadian Livestock Traceability System allowed the lab to trace the animal back to its origin in Saskatchewan. The herd from which the animal came has been placed under quarantine until further testing can be completed.

All areas of Canada have been considered officially bovine TB-free since 2006.

Two cows from Saskatchewan tested positive in 2022 after they were exported to an American feedlot.

The post Saskatchewan cow tests positive for bovine tuberculosis appeared first on Grainews.

The province each year since 1997 has asked hunters to submit heads from harvested deer, moose and elk to test for CWD. It announced Sept. 26 it has opened its CWD testing drop-off locations for this year, until Jan. 21, 2024.

“We rely on hunters submitting samples for testing so we can continue to measure and manage CWD, and we are grateful to their ongoing support in those efforts,” Environment Minister Christine Tell said in a release.

Samples can be submitted from animals harvested anywhere in the province, but the ministry said its CWD focus this year is on seven specific wildlife management zones: 2W, 9 and 10 in the province’s southwest; 47 and 55 in the northwest; 50, east of Prince Albert; and 37, which runs from around Yorkton, Melville and Kamsack east to the Manitoba border.

But in response to the bovine TB findings this year in a cattle herd in the east-central region, the ministry this year also wants to test heads from harvested elk, moose, white-tailed deer and mule deer from WMZ 37, as well as WMZ 48 (north of 37), using the same process as for submitting CWD samples.

While CWD is established in much of southern Saskatchewan and has been detected in wildlife in 60 of the province’s 83 WMZs, no case of bovine TB has yet been detected in Saskatchewan wildlife, the province said Sept. 26.

While CWD results will be posted online, hunters will be notified directly if a positive bovine TB result is detected in their submitted sample, the province said. Testing for both diseases is free and voluntary, the province added.

An animal infected with bovine TB may have lesions, of any size, that can be seen during field dressing, the province said.

The lesions may appear as round, white, tan or yellow, crumbly to paste-like, and gritty nodules throughout the lungs, the rib cage or in the chest cavity.

It’s possible, albeit extremely rare, for bovine TB to spread from animals to people, the province said, advising hunters to take “routine hygiene precautions” while field dressing or otherwise handling wildlife.

Tracing in/out

As for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s ongoing investigation and tracing of the TB-infected cattle herd, tests so far have found the disease’s spread to be limited to the one herd.

As of Wednesday, CFIA said, the infected herd has so far turned up 10 confirmed cases of bovine TB. The herd has been depopulated, its post-mortem inspections complete, and lab tests “ongoing” on tissue samples.

Past that, CFIA’s investigation has so far led it to two “trace-in” herds, three “trace-out” herds, one contact herd and one “life line” herd, but no new TB cases as of Wednesday.

A “life line” herd refers to any herd that was specifically traced from an infected animal in the infected herd. In this investigation, CFIA said, the one life line herd has been released from federal quarantine, based on negative results so far from lab tests. That said, final confirmatory lab tissue tests are “ongoing.”

A “contact” herd, meanwhile, refers to a herd that shared a fence line or “may have co-mingled” with the infected herd. Live animal testing has started on that herd and will continue through this fall, CFIA said.

“Trace-in” refers to a herd that provided animals to the infected herd. Of the two found so far in this investigation, live animal testing has been completed on one, while the other will undergo live animal testing “after summer grazing ends.”

“Trace-out” refers to a herd that received animals from the infected herd. Of the three found so far, one was released from quarantine based on negative results to date. The other two still require live animal testing — which, CFIA reiterated, is normally completed after summer grazing ends.

The infected Saskatchewan herd had come to CFIA’s attention after an animal shipped from that herd to a U.S. feedlot in September 2022 was confirmed last February as positive for the disease, based on a PCR test run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on tissue samples collected at slaughter. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

The post Saskatchewan expands wildlife testing to include bovine TB appeared first on Grainews.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which is tasked with testing the infected herd, said Thursday that as of July 12, a total of eight cases of bovine TB have been confirmed from that herd.

CFIA first reported in late June that tissues from a heifer originating from the Saskatchewan herd were confirmed positive for TB in a PCR test at slaughter in the U.S. in February. That animal isn’t included in the eight cases.

The animal’s source herd was quarantined and its cattle over six months old were all put through live tests in May, after spring calving. Animals that reacted to live tests were then culled and their tissue samples PCR-tested at CFIA’s lab in Ottawa, which on June 19 confirmed the two cases in Canada after the one previous detection in the U.S.

The agency also said Thursday it had so far identified one separate “contact” herd, which will undergo live testing this month.

Trace-out and trace-in work are ongoing, the agency said. “Trace-out” involves finding herds that received animals from an infected herd, while “trace-in” refers to separate herds that provided animals to an infected herd. Those traces will examine movements to and from the herd over the past five years.

As for the infected Saskatchewan herd, it has now been “humanely depopulated,” CFIA said. As of Wednesday, post-mortem inspection and confirmatory tissue testing are still ongoing.

The agency also said Wednesday it has now ruled that the initial heifer which tested positive in the U.S. had not spent time on any other farm premises in Canada.

The heifer was in a Canadian feedlot for five months before it was shipped last September to a U.S. feedlot, where it remained until slaughter, CFIA said. All the animals with which it came in contact at the Canadian feedlot were destined for slaughter; none were moved to other farms, CFIA said.

CFIA said it has also begun tests to identify the specific strain of TB bacterium, as “this may inform if there are connections to previous cases.”

Investigations of Canada’s previous two outbreaks of bovine TB — in 2018 in British Columbia, and in 2016 in Alberta — never turned up any “definitive” source of infection.

The separate strains in those two previous outbreaks were found to have no link to any earlier tuberculosis cases in livestock, wildlife or people in Canada, nor to each other. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

CORRECTION, July 14 — A previous version of this article incorrectly included the index heifer detected at slaughter in the U.S. as one the eight cases of bovine TB confirmed by CFIA. We regret the error.

The post More bovine TB cases found in Saskatchewan herd appeared first on Grainews.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, in a report dated Wednesday, said it was notified Feb. 23 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that tissues from an animal at slaughter had a positive PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test for bovine TB.

The animal in question had been in a U.S. feedlot since last September, when it was exported from Saskatchewan, CFIA said. Before export, it had spent five months in a Canadian feedlot, where all other contact animals were also destined for slaughter and none were moved to other farms.

The TB-positive heifer’s herd of origin in Saskatchewan was put under quarantine until testing could be done after spring calving, CFIA said. All animals over six months old in that herd were tested for the disease last month.

Any “reactor” animals — that is, the ones that show a response to a standard caudal-fold tuberculin (CFT) test — were taken for slaughter and post-mortem exams.

Tissues from suspect animals were then sent to the agency’s Fallowfield lab at Ottawa, where PCR tests turned up two positive cases of bovine TB on June 19, CFIA said.

In a separate notice to producers Wednesday, CFIA said the new findings “should not affect Canada’s current international status in which all provinces are considered bovine TB-free” — a status which “supports international trade for Canada’s beef industry.”

CFIA said it’s continuing to work “closely” with producers, industry organizations and provincial and federal ag and health authorities in its probe.

The agency said it’s now in the “very early stages” of that investigation — which means identifying all herds that had contact with the infected animal during its life, and testing to identify the strain of the TB bacterium to see if there are any connections to previous cases.

CFIA said it will also trace the movement of animals to and from the infected herd during the past five years to “identify and eliminate the source” and any potential spread of TB.

Quarantines and movement restrictions are placed on any implicated animals, with testing, humane destruction and disposal carried out as required, CFIA said. All animals in the infected herd will be “humanely destroyed,” and affected producers are eligible for compensation for any animals ordered destroyed.

The number of herds the probe will cover, and the time frame needed to complete it, are “not yet known.”

Canada hasn’t booked an outbreak of bovine TB in a domestic cattle herd since 2018, when four cases were found in a British Columbia herd, leading to testing for about 23,000 animals across 42 herds, with almost 1,050 ordered destroyed.

Those four cattle were found to have the same strain, believed to be “most genetically related” to strains isolated in the U.S. from fed cattle of “Mexican or unknown” origin, but no “definitive” source of infection was ever found for the B.C. cattle.

A previous outbreak in a southeastern Alberta cow-calf herd in 2016 — which turned up six TB-positive positive animals with almost 12,000 ordered destroyed out of over 34,000 tested — likewise found no “definitive” source of infection.

The strain in that outbreak was found to stem from a strain first identified in Mexico in 1997, and also had no link to any previous cases in Canada, including the 2018 case.

Bovine TB is federally reportable and has been subject to a mandatory eradication program in Canada since 1923. The disease does not pose a threat to Canadian public health, CFIA said, because of its “extremely low prevalence,” along with ongoing surveillance at packing plants and testing programs in place, and practices such as pasteurization of milk.

Human cases of bovine TB are “very rare,” the agency said. Such infections can occur through fluids from an infected animal passing to an open skin sore, or extended close contact with an animal with active respiratory TB, or consuming raw or unpasteurized products from an infected animal. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

The post Bovine TB turns up in Saskatchewan herd appeared first on Grainews.

The probe dates back to October that year, when a beef cow of an unknown age, from a cow-calf operation in B.C.’s southern Interior, was culled, shipped east and slaughtered at a federally-inspected plant in southern Alberta, on Oct. 24, 25 and 26 respectively.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which routinely takes and tests tissue samples from Canadian beef packing plants for its bovine TB surveillance program, on Nov. 9 confirmed positive results from the B.C. animal.

Ultimately, only that cow, and three other animals from the same B.C. herd, were found to have TB-related lesions, and all were later confirmed through lab cultures to have had the same strain of bovine TB.

In the meantime, the probe saw 23,000 animals in 42 herds also tested for bovine TB — with almost 1,050 of those animals ordered destroyed, CFIA said.

As for where the strain came from, lab culture tests and whole-genome sequencing found the strain isolated from the four TB-positive animals to be “most genetically related” to strains isolated in the U.S. from fed cattle of “Mexican or unknown” origin.

But the specific TB strain in this case is not linked to any previous TB cases in wildlife, humans or livestock in Canada, CFIA added.

Canada’s previous outbreak of bovine TB in domestic cattle, in 2016, also featured a whole other TB strain that also had no link to any previous cases in Canada, including the 2018 case.

Rodeo cattle

Given both of those outbreaks, CFIA said it’s been evaluating “possible entry pathways of bovine TB from outside the country” to see if other preventive measures could help stop “non-domestic” strains from arriving in Canada.

Based on its evaluation, CFIA said it has worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to apply “more stringent” testing on U.S.-origin rodeo cattle before they’re imported into Canada, effective May 1 this year.

There’s also been no evidence so far of the 2018 strain spreading to any animals, including wildlife, outside the index herd where the four cases were found. B.C. provincial officials are still running ongoing surveillance of wildlife in the “vicinity” of the index herd.

The index premises had to undergo cleaning and disinfection before it could be restocked. One pasture was “not permitted” for restocking, CFIA added, as the producers chose to keep that pasture fallow for a two-year period, to be completed next year.

Compensation paid out to cover transportation, disposal and destruction of animals totaled $3.78 million, of which about $3.2 million was paid directly to producers, CFIA said in its report, released Aug. 6.

Up to $1 million more was made available through AgriRecovery to help cover “extraordinary costs” incurred where herds were quarantined or ordered destroyed. A portion of eligible costs was covered related to feeding, veterinary expenses, extraordinary handling and cleaning and disinfection on sites where bovine TB was confirmed.

“Given the outcome of the case response, British Columbia continues to be recognized as being free from bovine TB,” as do all other provinces, CFIA said in its report.

“The strength of Canada’s bovine TB program supported uninterrupted international market access for Canadian cattle and meat products during the course of the response and this mitigated any impacts on the overall Canadian cattle sector.”

Data entry

As for lessons learned from the B.C. outbreak, CFIA noted “information management and technology challenges” remain for disease responses. That said, data management was improved using new RFID ear tag readers and centralized data, which “reduced the need for manual data entry and the related costs and potential for errors.”

The beef industry is interested in “further discussions in regard to producer compensation,” CFIA said, including costs not currently covered under federal compensation plans for such outbreaks.

The industry would also like to discuss “potential alternatives to herd destruction for herds with unique genetics,” the agency added.

Producers and industry groups also noted the importance of “effective communications with producers,” CFIA said.

The agency, in its report, acknowledged the “vital role” the province and industry played on that front, including “extremely valuable” ongoing representation from the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association.

It will also help, CFIA said, to have a revised bovine TB hazard-specific plan finalized before the next such outbreak, “to ensure clear direction for incident commanders and field staff.” — Glacier FarmMedia Network

The post Bovine TB probe wraps with no exact point of entry found appeared first on Grainews.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency last week announced all on-farm testing has been completed in its probe, which dates back to November 2018 when lab tests confirmed TB in an animal that was traced to a farm in the province’s southern Interior.

Three more TB-infected cattle were later found in that cow’s herd, which has since been “depopulated.” The farm has since resumed operations on parcels where cleaning and disinfection were completed, CFIA said.

The agency’s “trace-out” probe — the phase in which all herds that received animals from the infected herd in the previous five years were tested — followed on 15 other B.C. cattle herds, 22 in Alberta and the one in Saskatchewan, but wrapped up last June with no further cases found.

The “trace-in” part of the probe — to identify animals that may have been the source of the infection — started last fall and ran through the winter, with testing on 20 herds from which animals had been introduced to the infected B.C. herd over the previous seven years.

None of those herds are still under movement controls, CFIA reported last week.

All four infected animals from the B.C. farm carried the same strain of bovine TB, which CFIA previously said is distinct from any cases previously detected in Canadian wildlife or domestic livestock. The strain was unrelated to past cases of bovine TB seen in Alberta, B.C. and anywhere else in Canada.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has also confirmed the strain was never previously identified by its laboratory service, CFIA said.

CFIA also ruled out the unusual strain from its most recent previous investigation — which involved six cattle that were confirmed infected in 2016 from a southern Alberta operation, and led to tests on over 34,000 animals from over 145 farms across the West.

That probe, which cost $42.8 million in compensation for almost 12,000 animals ordered destroyed, plus up to $16.7 million in related AgriRecovery aid, closed in May 2018 with no “definitive” source of infection ever identified.

The TB strain in that case was found only to be “closely” related to a strain seen in cattle in central Mexico in 1997. CFIA said in 2018 it planned to look at “possible entry pathways” from outside the country, to see if “further preventive measures” could be taken.

CFIA has previously emphasized there was no risk to Canada’s food supply or to human health from the B.C. case, and that no part of the index cow ever entered the food chain.

Human exposure to bovine TB can only occur through the passage of fluids from an animal to an open skin sore, through “extended close contact” with an animal with active respiratory TB or by drinking unpasteurized milk from an infected animal.

Bovine TB can lie dormant in infected animals for years without causing symptoms — which is why both the trace-in and trace-out probes checked out animals that could have been in contact with the infected cattle over at least the previous five years. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

The post On-farm tests wrap up in bovine TB probe appeared first on Grainews.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Monday reported that a central Saskatchewan herd has now been released from controls which were imposed in December last year.

CFIA said in June it had completed the “trace-out” investigation stemming from the Nov. 9 confirmation of a TB-positive beef cow from a farm in B.C.’s southern Interior. A trace-out involves finding and testing all herds that received animals in the past five years from an infected herd.

The agency’s probe led investigators to find three more TB-positive cattle in the same B.C. herd. The trace-out also led to TB testing and movement controls for 15 other B.C. cattle herds, along with 22 in Alberta and the one in Saskatchewan.

The infected B.C. herd, meanwhile, was depopulated and no other infected animals have yet been found.

The “trace-in” investigation — in which all herds that provided animals to the infected herd are tracked down and tested — is to begin this fall, CFIA said, to try to “identify and eliminate the source of the disease,” if possible, and “to prevent any potential spread of the disease.”

All four infected animals from the B.C. farm carried the same strain of bovine TB, which CFIA said is distinct from any cases previously detected in Canadian wildlife or domestic livestock — and unrelated to past cases of bovine TB seen in Alberta, B.C. and anywhere else in Canada.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has also confirmed the strain was never previously identified by its laboratory service, CFIA said.

The agency also ruled out the unusual strain from its most recent previous investigation, which involved six cattle confirmed infected in 2016 from a southern Alberta operation. That strain was found to be “closely” related to a strain originating from cattle in central Mexico in 1997.

That investigation closed in May last year with no source of infection ever identified.

CFIA has previously emphasized there is no risk to Canada’s food supply or to human health from this case.

Human exposure to bovine TB can only occur through the passage of fluids from an animal to an open skin sore, through “extended close contact” with an animal with active respiratory TB or by drinking unpasteurized milk from an infected animal. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

The post Last of trace-out quarantines lifted in bovine TB probe appeared first on Grainews.