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foxleigh wrote:

I think there are 3 herds in total so far in this county and I did wonder if the cows had caught the TB from the mexican labour force.If any of their bulls are at JLG this could mean any/all bulls housed at JLG could be caught up in this.

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11/21/08: Producer calls for improvements to TB program
     The U.S. needs to rethink its bovine tuberculosis program, says a producer who has special insight into the matter.
  "Six months ago, I didn't know I had a bovine TB problem," Doug Maddox, of Riverside, Calif., told audiences at the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin Dairy Policy Summit last week. His Maddox Dairy and RuAnn Dairy became involved in California's latest outbreak during the investigation of another herd that tested positive for bovine TB in 2007. That herd had bought four replacement heifers from Maddox Dairy. Since cattle occasionally move between Maddox Dairy and RuAnn Dairy, all animals
in both herds had to be tested.
   Surprisingly, an eight-year-old cow from RuAnn Dairy that had tested clean in 2002 and 2003 tested positive for bovine TB in late April. Maddox had tested his herds regularly and had previously maintained a Certified TB-free herd.
   Interestingly, DNA analysis showed that this strain did not match the strain found in previous positive bovine TB cases in California or the rest of the country. It most closely matched strains found in Mexico. It is suspected, but not proven, that bovine TB entered his herd via an employee.
   The current standard-herd plan generally offers owners two options if a positive animal is found:
* Depopulate the entire herd upon a positive test. This is voluntary.
* Follow a test-and-removal plan, which requires a herd quarantine and repeated testing that can last for years.
   Maddox is in talks with animal health officials to determine his options. A full depopulation would cost about $60 million in indemnity payments and destroy 50 years of herd genetics. However, an extended quarantine-and-testing program would not allow Maddox to merchandise cattle and possibly mar his reputation. "The rumors have been terrible already," he notes.
  "I thought by the time I came to this meeting, I would be able to describe for you our herd plan, but we don't have one yet," he says. A resolution is expected soon.
   Meanwhile, he has completed a second herd test. All caudal fold reactors have been depopulated (664 animals). No additional infected animals have been found and no additional infected animals have been found in herds traced in or out of Maddox and RuAnn Dairies. No replacement cattle have been sold by Maddox since April.

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Eryl Vet wrote:

From Holstein World

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11/21/08:
   Surprisingly, an eight-year-old cow from RuAnn Dairy that had tested clean in 2002 and 2003 tested positive for bovine TB in late April. Maddox had tested his herds regularly and had previously maintained a Certified TB-free herd.

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Posal wrote:

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Eryl Vet wrote:

From Holstein World

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11/21/08:
   Surprisingly, an eight-year-old cow from RuAnn Dairy that had tested clean in 2002 and 2003 tested positive for bovine TB in late April. Maddox had tested his herds regularly and had previously maintained a Certified TB-free herd.

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I have a question, how often do you test? We test entire herd twice a year...and we do not buy live animals...

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Surprisingly, an eight-year-old cow from RuAnn Dairy that had tested clean in 2002 and 2003 tested positive for bovine TB in late April.

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Eryl Vet wrote:
A chronic, painful debilitating disease has been allowed to spread uncontrolled through the badger poulation in the UK. This is a huge animal welfare problem, even without the cows. Can those who opposed culling back in the early 80's really be proud of the suffering they have caused?

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