A trip to Canadian Western Agribition ended early for one Manitoba exhibitor.
The exhibitor, who was not identified by Agribition or Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials, had already unloaded a bred heifer and a calf in Regina when he received word that a tuberculosis test on an animal in his herd was suspicious.
That cow was still at home near Riding Mountain National Park.
Agribition general manager Leon Brin said the heifer at the show had been tested and the result was negative. The calf was too young to be tested.
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“CFIA was in touch with us here and let us know what the situation was,” Brin said.
“We met with the exhibitor and he voluntarily left the show.”
Larry Delver, a CFIA veterinarian, said rather than wait and re-test the cow, the owner decided to slaughter it and have it examined for traces of TB.
“We will pay compensation, but not necessarily market value,” he told reporters.
Delver said there was no risk to animals at Agribition since the heifer had already tested negative.
There was no talk in the barns about TB.
“I think our exhibitors understand the lack of risk,” Brin said.
Among Agribition’s health regulations is a requirement that cattle from Manitoba, or cattle that have mingled with cattle from Manitoba, test negative for TB.
