Veterinarians are reminding livestock producers that anaplasmosis will be removed April 1 from the list of federally reportable diseases.
The tick- and fly-borne illness will instead become an “immediately notifiable disease,” and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will no longer respond to cases or conduct surveillance for it.
Anaplasmosis can affect cattle, sheep, goats and deer, but only cattle seem to show clinical signs, including fever, anemia, weakness and respiratory distress. Younger animals are better able to fight the illness. Death from it is rare.
Anaplasmosis does not pose risks to human health or food safety. The disease is well established in the United States, and the CFIA said it might not be feasible to eradicate it in Canada.
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association welcomed Its removal from the reportable disease list when the decision was announced last year.
The CCA said it considers anaplasmosis to be more of a production limiting disease rather than a major herd health threat or trade limitation.
