Wyoming: More brucellosis found in Park County
Brucellosis has been found in a second Park County (WY) cattle herd, state officials said Nov. 24, just days after an earlier outbreak had been determined to be contained. The newly detected infection is not related to the earlier case found in late October, said state veterinarian Jim Logan.
In the newest case, state officials said 12 Park County heifers were tested this fall when they were sold, and two of the 12 were found to have been exposed to the disease. One of them was slaughtered, and samples from that animal were tested and the infection was confirmed on Nov. 24. Further testing showed eight more animals from the group of 12 were found to have been exposed to brucellosis. As a result of those test results, federal officials have designated the herd an “affected herd.”
Wyoming officials have quarantined the herd and another adjacent herd. Testing on those two herds were scheduled to continue this week.
Logan said he met with USDA regional officials to discuss the implications of the two Park County cases and was given assurances that Wyoming’s brucellosis-free status is not yet in jeopardy. Logan said a new “interim rule” on brucellosis that USDA is preparing to issue “provides the state and affected herd owners some flexibility in how situations are handled.”
Brucellosis has been found in a second Park County (WY) cattle herd, state officials said Nov. 24, just days after an earlier outbreak had been determined to be contained. The newly detected infection is not related to the earlier case found in late October, said state veterinarian Jim Logan.
In the newest case, state officials said 12 Park County heifers were tested this fall when they were sold, and two of the 12 were found to have been exposed to the disease. One of them was slaughtered, and samples from that animal were tested and the infection was confirmed on Nov. 24. Further testing showed eight more animals from the group of 12 were found to have been exposed to brucellosis. As a result of those test results, federal officials have designated the herd an “affected herd.”
Wyoming officials have quarantined the herd and another adjacent herd. Testing on those two herds were scheduled to continue this week.
Logan said he met with USDA regional officials to discuss the implications of the two Park County cases and was given assurances that Wyoming’s brucellosis-free status is not yet in jeopardy. Logan said a new “interim rule” on brucellosis that USDA is preparing to issue “provides the state and affected herd owners some flexibility in how situations are handled.”