LANSING — A small beef cattle herd in Alcona County was recently confirmed as bovine tuberculosis positive by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The herd was identified through routine surveillance testing.
An informational meeting for cattle producers in Alpena and Alcona counties is scheduled for:
Tuesday, April 25, 2017, at 7 p.m.
Hubbard Lake Community Center
1561 Hubert Rd., Hubbard Lake, Michigan 49747
Bovine TB is a bacterial disease primarily affecting cattle; however, it can be spread between wildlife populations and other mammals, including humans. This herd is located within the USDA-designated bovine TB Modified Accredited Zone where bovine TB is pervasive in the free-ranging white-tailed deer population.
“In the Modified Accredited Zone, any shared contact between deer and cattle can be a potential source of bovine tuberculosis infection,” said Rick Smith, DVM, assistant state veterinarian. “Preventing deer from having contact with cattle feed, feed storage or watering areas is crucial for farmers in this area of Michigan.”
Within the MAZ, cattle herds are required to undergo annual whole herd tests and be tested before movement. In addition, all cattle in Michigan must have electronic identification ear tags before they move from a farm, which helps MDARD trace cattle movement in the event of a disease investigation.
More information about bovine TB can be found at www.michigan.gov/bovinetb.
— Michigan Department of Agriculture
For more news from Michigan, click here.