Brucellosis found in montana

[Rangenerd]

Seven Montana cows have tested positive for brucellosis, and if at least 2 cows from a separate herd near Emigrant test positive next week, Montana will lose its brucellosis-free status. That means Montana ranchers would have to pay to test all adult cattle being shipped out of state until Montana can regain its brucellosis-free status. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is in charge of controlling the disease. APHIS rules say that a state loses its brucellosis-free status when at least two cows from two herds test positive within 12 months. On May 1, 51 Angus cows bound for Iowa were tested for brucellosis in Baker. Because Montana is a brucellosis-free state, the cows wouldn't normally be tested. But because the cows were going to be surrogate mothers, the tests were conducted.

On May 4, the Montana State Lab in Bozeman found that one cow tested positive for brucellosis. That cow was euthanized and tissue cultures were re-tested at the National Veterinary Services lab in Ames, Iowa, which conducts the testing for APHIS. The infected cow was traced back to a herd of 301 cows in Bridger, and that herd was quarantined after six more cows tested positive for brucellosis. Brucellosis is a contagious disease in ruminant animals that can cause fetuses to abort. The Bridger cattle came from a ranch near Emigrant, Schweitzer said. A second herd in the Paradise Valley is being tested now. To prevent the spread of brucellosis from bison to area cattle, officials from the Montana Department of Livestock have hazed wandering Yellowstone National Park bison back into the park. Last year, more than 1,000 bison that ranged onto private lands in Montana were captured, and most were sent to slaughter.

However, the governor said information he has received indicates that bison aren't to blame.)

 

[I luv herfrds]

The main herd has been tested negative. They are now waiting on the test for the new born calves and first year heifers.
The elk are to blame.
Now can we kill the dang things? They are tearing up fence and hay stacks and are also carriers of brucellosis.

 

[Oldtimer]

Worst brucellosis fears unrealized
Subsequent tests of two Bridger herds are negative
By JAN FALSTAD
Of The Gazette Staff

Brucellosis tests run on two herds of about 45 animals each in the Bridger area Friday have come back negative.

That means Montana gets to keep its brucellosis-free status for now.

full story:
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles ... llosis.txt

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Looks like we'll have another batch of chanting hippie's and bambi huggers putting the State on the map again... :roll: What the hay!!!- we should be getting used to them...

State vet details plan to slaughter up to 300 bison
By CHARLES S. JOHNSON
Gazette State Bureau

HELENA - Starting this week, state and federal agencies will begin capturing and slaughtering up to 300 bison, including 100 calves, that have entered Montana from Yellowstone National Park.

Ranchers packed a crowded meeting of the state Board of Livestock Tuesday and generally supported the plan as critical to protect their industry.

However, a spokeswoman for the Buffalo Field Campaign vowed that her group would let Americans know through a media campaign about Montana's slaughter of the bison "moms and babies."

Full story:

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles ... 40-vet.txt

 

[sjr725]

I heard this morning now they're not going to slaughter the bison because they worry about what people will think because this bunch contains about 100 calves - So they're just going to try to haze them back into the park.
What they don't think about is the bison have outgrown the park - if they had enough to eat there then they would stay put- controlling the numbers is the ONLY way to keep them where they belong and away from Montana Cattle! We have a neighbor that leased state land bordering ted turners place and his stupid buffalo were always tearing down the fences and wandering with the cattle on the lease - our friend finally gave up the leased land because of it.
Schweitzer needs to do what is right for the economy and that means the ranchers and to h%$$ what the folks on the coasts think! Maybe if we get bad enough publicity - they'll stop coming!

 

[TheBullLady]

sjr.. that's starting to be a fact with a lot of species.. not just bison. Coyotes, wolves, bears, wild horses, etc. etc. People in the "big cities" don't realize what happens when the population over runs the boundaries! Then they become a nusiance.

Too much people population is part of the problem in my opinion. All these folks have to go somewhere! And they all move out to the country, and farms and ranches get broken up into small tracts, and it becomes one suburb after another.

 

[sjr725]

I agree - see it every day!
a few years ago we had a couple of lions hanging around - called fish & game, tried to get them to get a trapper and dogs out - no luck - found out it was a pair with cubs (oh yippee) and that was the last we heard from fish & game - But you know, all of the sudden one day - those cats just mysteriously dissappeared! Gee, I wonder what happened to them?

We have had trouble in the past with elk & deer damage in the hay yards and fences - the only way to get rid of them is to let hunters on your place through block management - not a bad plan if you have a really large place, but for folks like us who have a smaller "home place" with hay and winter our cows here and have summer pasture leased, it's not really an answer - I don't want 10 guys I don't know with guns shooting at elk in my hay yards with my cows all around! We just put up higher and sturdier fences around the hay. But that doesn't do much for the threat of diseases that can bring economic disaster.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Ran into a problem a few years ago with the mule deer in our area. FWP gave us a roll of fence and told us to put it up. Didn't work.They just walked up the snow drifts and got in anyway.
They also got into our hay out in the field, we quit counting bales that were torn up at 101. They all had to be pitched on by hand and fed out of a truck.
We asked for help and the only people to offer help was the guys from the Red Horse Squardron from the local Air Force base.
I placed calls to the warden and biologist. I begged for a damage hunt, but was told it was too late to do anything.
I also stopped hunters on the road and asked them to come hunt our place, does only, but none of them would come. Also did the web site, seven hunters showed up all that year and only two were taken. One was a two point buck. Yes I kicked them off our place. Out of 23 deer they kill the only buck in the bunch.
Then some disease ran through them and now their numbers are better, but not by much.
I haven't spoken to my sister for 7 years because she is a wolf supporter and I am a wolf hater.
SSS ;-)