MDOL Holding Public Meetings on Brucellosis

Helena, Mont. – The Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) will be holding a series of informational meetings on brucellosis regulations. In October of 2018, requirements for brucellosis vaccination of female cattle and domestic bison were extended to Big Horn, Broadwater, Carbon, Jefferson, Stillwater, and Sweet Grass counties. Previously, brucellosis vaccination requirements only applied to the four counties in which Montana’s Designated Surveillance Area (DSA) is located (see attached image).

A public meeting will be held in each of the 10 counties included in the brucellosis vaccination rule (ARM 32.3.436). The schedule is as follows:

Beaverhead County: September 10th 3-5:30 at the Beaverhead County Fairgrounds 4-H building in Dillon

Big Horn County: August 26th 8am-10:30 at the Big Horn County Courthouse in Hardin

Broadwater County: September 10th 8am-10:30 at the Broadwater County Fairgrounds 4-H building in Townsend

Carbon County: August 26th 1pm-3:30 at the Carbon County Extension Office in Joliet

Gallatin County: September 9th 12pm-2:30pm at the Gallatin Conservation District in Manhattan

Jefferson County: August 28th 2:30-5pm at the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorders office in Boulder

Madison County: August 28th 8am-10:30 at the Senior and Community Center in Twin Bridges

Park County: September 9th 8am-10:30 at the Park County Extension office in Livingston

Stillwater County: August 27th 8am-10:30 at the County Courthouse west annex (old hospital) in Columbus

Sweet Grass County: August 27th 2:30-5:00 at the Sweet Grass County Courthouse Extension Annex in Big Timber

Dr. Eric Liska, Brucellosis Program Veterinarian for MDOL, will be discussing the expansion and enforcement of the vaccination rule along with general information about Montana’s DSA.

These informal meetings are intended to present new information as well as answer public and producer questions about brucellosis and brucellosis related regulations.

The mission of the Montana Department of Livestock is to control and eradicate animal diseases, prevent the transmission of animal diseases to humans, and to protect the livestock industry from theft and predatory animals. For more information on the Montana Department of Livestock, visit http://www.liv.mt.gov.

–Montana Department of Livestock