By Jennifer Holton
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is reporting the detection of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in two cattle herds from Alpena and Presque Isle counties. The cases were detected during the annual whole-herd surveillance tests for each herd.
"Both herds are located in areas where bovine TB is known to be present in the free-ranging white-tailed deer population, and both herds illustrate why it is so crucial to consistently perform surveillance testing and actively manage this disease," said State Veterinarian Nora Wineland, DVM, MS, DACVPM. "The most effective way to prevent bovine TB from infecting cattle herds is to protect cattle from contact with wild deer and the disease they could be carrying, which takes the collective efforts of hunters, producers, industry, and government agencies in Michigan."
Bovine TB is a bacterial disease that can affect all mammals, including humans. It is known to be present in the wild white-tailed deer population in specific areas of northeastern lower Michigan, and the disease can be transmitted between deer and cattle.
There are currently two bovine TB zones within the state: a four-county area (Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, and Oscoda counties) known as the Modified Accredited Zone (MAZ) and the remainder of the state known as the Accredited Free Zone. Presque Isle County is part of the Accredited Free Zone, but the county has many of the same requirements for bovine TB testing and movement of cattle as the MAZ.
An epidemiological investigation will be performed to identify the possible sources of infection and will include genetic analysis of the specific tuberculosis organism found.
While MDARD and other state and federal agencies are taking significant steps to manage bovine TB within the MAZ through routine surveillance testing of cattle herds, mandatory animal identification, required movement certificates, and wildlife biosecurity programs, deer hunting in the northeastern Lower Peninsula continues to be an important tool in combatting this disease and maintaining healthy deer, healthy cattle, and healthy people.
Source : michigan.gov