An outbreak of tuberculosis in North Dakota earlier this year hasn’t hurt its chances of moving feeder cattle into Canada without testing for the disease.
A veterinarian with the United States Department of Agriculture said last week that the outbreak was contained, keeping North Dakota’s certification as a tuberculosis-free state intact.
Larry White said more than 6,000 animals in 50 herds were tested after the disease surfaced.
“We’re pleased with the way things turned out,” he said.
Last March, the state board of animal health ordered a 115-cow herd destroyed after TB was found at a dairy farm in Morton County, N.D.
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At the time, there was concern that neighboring states and Canada would close their borders to North Dakota cattle. More than 50 percent of the herd belonging to Morton County farmer Tom Fried tested positive.
The outbreak came while North Dakota was seeking approval to move feeder cattle into Canada without having to test for tuberculosis and brucellosis. The state has won that approval, White said.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said last week it was satisfied with the measures taken in North Dakota and has called for no additional controls on cattle from that state moving into Canada.
“As far as we are concerned, it was an isolated case where they took the appropriate action,” said agency spokesperson George Luterbach.
Tuberculosis is an infectious lung disease that can be transmitted by airborne bacteria.
The case at Morton County was the first time in more than a decade that North Dakota has had to slaughter a herd due to TB.
