The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development says a new herd of cattle in Michigan has tested postive for bovine tuberculosis.

Bovine TB has been confirmed in an Alcona County herd after one of the animals was tested before being transported. The large beef herd is the 66th cattle herd in Michigan found with bovine TB since 1998.

Bovine TB is an infectious bacterial disease primarily affecting cattle; however, it can be spread between wildlife populations and other mammals, including humans.

In Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency and Oscoda counties, testing before movement and annual surveillance testing is required of cattle producers. The testing precautions are designed to catch the disease in the very earliest stages and prevent the disease from spreading to other farms. Bovine TB is endemic in the free-ranging white-tailed deer population in the four-county area and any shared contact between deer and cattle can be a potential source of infection.

“Finding bovine TB in a herd is always hard on the impacted farm and at this time we have not determined how this herd became infected,” said Dr. Rick Smith, Assistant State Veterinarian.

MDARD is establishing a special surveillance area which will involve a small number of herds in the northern portion of Iosco County. Producers who need to test will be notified by MDARD.

An informational meeting for cattle producers in Alcona and Iosco counties is scheduled for:

Monday, September 12, 2016 at 7PM
Curtis Township Hall
4932 F-30, Glennie, Michigan 48737

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