DENVER, Colo. – Without knowing the full details of animal disease risk
in the United States, Canadian authorities are refusing to open the
borders full time to American cattle.
Brucellosis, tuberculosis and blood diseases like anaplasmosis have
been a source of conflict for many years, as northern states demand
fairer treatment from Canada in the export arena.
“Canada looks at the United States in the same way as any other
country,” said Brian Jamieson of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
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He spoke during a meeting between Canadian and American cattle
producers attending the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
convention held in Denver.
Canada is working toward regionalization under which specific American
states are granted health status equivalent to Canada’s. That would
mean no health testing is required if animals come from an area with an
equivalent health status.
Before granting that status, Canada wants full details on disease
surveillance systems at the state level, veterinary service, laboratory
systems, vaccination programs, health status of wildlife and capability
for tracing animals.
Smaller states do not always have that level of infrastructure and must
rely on assistance from the animal and plant health inspection service,
a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Both countries want to eradicate common cattle diseases, yet the
greatest challenge may come from other government departments such as
parks that protect diseased buffalo.
An area of continuing concern is brucellosis among buffalo in
Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Wood Buffalo National Park in
northern Canada.
The Canadian cattle herd has been free of brucellosis since 1985.
Disease control is maintained by regularly testing all cattle living
near the park. Parks Canada also monitors a healthy herd, which is kept
separate from the infected group.
The U.S. uses vaccines as well as herd depopulation to control
brucellosis. Yellowstone Park buffalo and elk have the disease.
In Canada, tuberculosis is handled by herd depopulation. A risk area is
Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba, where wild elk are believed
to carry the disease.
Bluetongue has not been found in Canada outside the Okanagan Valley.
However, the Americans have been challenged to track the disease even
though it is not a reportable disease in the U.S. Studies are checking
the possible risk as well as the prevalence of the insect that carries
the disease-causing virus.
Anaplasmosis is also monitored and animals entering Canada are treated
with antibiotics as a preventive measure.
