As a result of the identification of bovine tuberculosis (TB) infected deer in northwestern Minnesota, the Board of Animal Health is increasing testing requirements for cattle herds located within a 12-mile area surrounding the positive deer (see attached map).
Surveillance by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) of hunter harvested free-ranging white-tailed deer during the last two hunting seasons identified seven TB-infected deer within the immediate vicinity of formerly TB-infected cattle premises. The potential for contact with TB-infected deer poses a risk to cattle herds in the area.
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health, with the input of the affected producers whose herds are located in the core area as well as the state's cattle industry, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), has outlined a plan for managing cattle herds in this area to protect these herds and the state's beef industry from this risk.
Under the plan, the Board will work with cattle producers in the core area to implement measures such as fencing and alternative feeding and watering methods to mitigate the risk of interaction between deer and cattle. Producers within this Core Area will inventory and TB-test their cattle herds annually. All animals in the Core Area will also require testing prior to moving off the farm.
"The testing will ensure early detection of any new TB infection in cattle that might result from exposure to TB-infected deer," said Minnesota Board of Animal Health Executive Director and State Veterinarian Dr. Bill Hartmann. "In addition, these measures will provide assurance to other states and cattle markets that animals in this core area are not infected with TB."
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Herds located near the core area will be included in a TB Management Zone. These herds will need to test annually. All required tests will be done at government expense.
The DNR has taken several steps to reduce the risk of deer-to-deer spread of the disease. At the direction of the Minnesota Legislature, the DNR is enforcing a recreational deer-feeding ban in a 4,000 square mile area of northwestern Minne-sota. In addition, the DNR has continued to offer a cost-sharing program to assist cattle producers in installing deer-proof fencing around stored feed.
To further reduce the risk of deer-to-deer or deer-to-cattle transmission, the DNR has contracted with USDA Wildlife Services to remove potentially infected deer in critical areas where the disease has been found.
Minnesota has been involved in TB-eradication programs since 1917. Bovine TB, caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium bovis, is a respiratory disease of cattle. It is a chronic, slowly progressive disease that does not spread easily. Infected animals may be capable of transmitting an infection to other animals even if they appear healthy. More information on the state's TB investigation, the disease, and the Board is available online at www.bah.state.mn.us . Information on the DNR's efforts to manage bovine TB in the state's wild deer population can be found at www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/deer/tb/index.html .
