Bovine TB case in Sask. could have painful consequences

Jul 07, 2023

Two cows from a Saskatchewan ranch have tested positive for bovine tuberculosis, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture notified CFIA of a positive test for bovine TB in a tissue sample from a cow exported to an American feedlot from Saskatchewan in September 2022.

The herd of origin was tested in May, reactor animals slaughtered and two cases of bovine TB confirmed June 19.

The next steps could be painful for ranchers as CFIA officials begin to identify the origin of the infected cows and any contacts they may have had with other herds. Based on past circumstances, these measures have resulted in large-scale culling to stamp out the disease.

“The standard epidemiological approach will apply,” said Dr. Jamie Rothenburger, assistant professor at the University of Calgary’s faculty of veterinary medicine.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.