May 14, 2002

Texas will soon lose its "free" status for cattle TB eradication

by Bryan Salvage

Sound bite:"This loss of status will have a great impact on the Texas livestock industry, and until producers are familiar with the process--it could slow the movement of breeding cattle out of the state." --Dr. Linda Logan, Texas state veterinarian and executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission.

Texas livestock health officials are alerting cattle producers, veterinarians and livestock markets that the Agriculture Department will strip Texas of its "Free" status for cattle tuberculosis eradication on or around June 1.

The TB status downgrade means that the 150,000 or more breeding cattle hauled out of Texas each year must have a negative tuberculosis skin test prior to being moved, according to a news release. USDA has placed a moratorium on additional restrictions until at least January 2003, when the state's feeder cattle must be identified with official ear tags before being transported out of state.

"Since late February, we have worked with the USDA and cattle industry groups to prepare for the loss of Texas' TB-free status, which we initially thought would occur as early as April," said Dr. Linda Logan, Texas' state veterinarian and executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission, the state's livestock health regulatory agency. "This loss of status will have a great impact on the Texas livestock industry, and until producers are familiar with the process, it could slow the movement of breeding cattle out of the state."

What's behind the move

The downgrade in TB status comes as a result of the diagnosis and subsequent depopulation of two TB-infected cattle herds during 2001, she said. Both infected herds were detected by slaughter-plant inspectors who found carcasses with internal lesions indicative of TB. Lesion samples were submitted to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory for examination, and skin-testing began where the herds originated.

"We closely examined the carcasses of test-positive animals from the herds and submitted lesions to the NVSL for examination and confirmation of TB," she added

Logan said the two infected herds, found in South Central Texas in the summer of 2001, and in Southwest Texas in the fall 2001, have been depopulated. More than 130 other herds have been tested, as TAHC and USDA officials search for the origin of the disease outbreak, and where it may have spread. No other infected herds have been detected, and veterinary epidemiologists have been unable to pinpoint the source of infection.

Federal regulations mandate a loss of TB-free status when a state has two or more infected herds disclosed within a 48-month period, she said. Texas will move from the TB-free status it has held since November 2000, to modified accredited advanced status, the second highest rung in an international five-tier ranking system for cattle TB eradication, she added.

Logan said it will take at least two years without an infected herd for Texas to regain its coveted TB-free status enjoyed by all other states except Michigan.

Logan said that cattle industry groups continue to develop plans to address federal TB requirements that will apply to Texas feeder cattle as of January 2003.

"We will continue to work with the USDA and the cattle industry associations to find a workable solution to our changing TB status," Logan said. "It is of utmost importance that we maintain the ability of Texas cattle to move across state lines without undue hardship while we work to regain our TB-free status."

This article reprinted with permission from Meat Marketing and Technology Magazine.

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