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In this report:
[1] Montana, bison
[2] Montana, bison
[3] Wyoming
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[1] Montana, bison
Date: 2 Nov 2010
Source: Belgrade News [edited]
One of Ted Turner's bison tested positive for brucellosis on the
Flying D Ranch near Gallatin Gateway, state livestock officials said
Monday [1 Nov 2010]. But the discovery shouldn't affect Montana's
coveted brucellosis-free status, which should not be in jeopardy.
The National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the case
after a 7-year-old cow bison was singled out during routine testing,
the Montana Department of Livestock said. The 4600-head bison herd on
the ranch is quarantined, and 2 more animals are suspected of
carrying the disease.
Animal health officials are conducting an epidemiological
investigation to determine the cause, state veterinarian Dr. Marty
Zaluski said.
"In previous cases, extensive testing indicated that elk, not cattle
or bison, were the likely source of the infections," he said.
Montana regained its brucellosis-free status last year [2009] after
cattle in 2 separate herds tested positive for the disease within one
year, according to state records. Officials are hopeful the state
will not be stripped of its status again because of rule reviews by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Zaluski said.
"USDA is currently reviewing its approach to brucellosis management
nationwide," Zaluski said. "The proposed concept would de-emphasize
state status and allow brucellosis to be managed on a case-by-case basis."
Livestock officials from Montana, Idaho and Wyoming have been working
with the feds to come up with a solution to the long-term problem,
Department of Livestock spokesman Steve Merritt said. The states are
looking for federal rule changes that will grant some flexibility to
establish, designate and change surveillance areas.
A draft concept paper known as the "White Paper" emerged from the
dialogue, and addresses concerns in the tri-state area, but the feds
have not implemented any of the rule changes, Merritt said.
"They're currently not operating under that concept paper," he said
Monday [1 Nov 2010]. "Something did come out of those meetings, but
nothing has been implemented yet."
Merritt said there is "no risk" that the entire state would lose its
status due to the brucellosis discovery in Turner's bison herd.
"We don't expect to lose our status this time," he said. "USDA is
currently evaluating the future direction of the brucellosis program,
and so our understanding is that they are going to start taking this
on a case-by-case basis."
None of the wild bison Turner recently acquired from Yellowstone Park
are infected, Merritt said. Turner took custody of those animals,
numbering 86, from the park last year [2009] as part of a bison
management effort by state and federal wildlife agencies. That herd
is housed at Turner's Green Ranch property south of Three Forks and
is geographically separated from the domestic herd located in the
Spanish Creek area near Gallatin Canyon.
[Byline: Michael Tucker]
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Communicated by:
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******
[2] Montana, bison
Date: 1 Nov 2010
Source: Bozeman Daily Chronicles [edited]
Brucellosis has been found in a domestic bison on the Flying D Ranch
near Bozeman, the Montana Department of Livestock said today [1 Nov 2010].
Two other bison at the ranch are also suspected of carrying the
disease. The ranch is currently quarantined.
The brucellosis-infected bison, a 7-year-old cow, was identified as a
suspect during routine disease testing conducted by the ranch, which
is owned by Ted Turner. Cultures performed at the National Veterinary
Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa confirmed the presence of the
agent that causes brucellosis in the suspect bison.
Brucellosis-infected elk have been found on the Flying D in previous years.
The Flying D bison herd is geographically separate from the Green
Ranch, which received bison from the cooperative USDA-Montana Fish,
Wildlife and Parks quarantine facility last year [2009]. Those 86
Yellowstone Park bison remain disease-free.
After going more than 30 years without a case of brucellosis, the
state lost its brucellosis-free status when the disease was found
twice within a 12-month period in 2007 and 2008.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[Brucellosis is historically thought to have entered the bison
population somewhere around 1920. The bison herds of the plains of
the US were in danger of possible extinction. The herds were
co-mingled with cattle, and the disease was thought to have entered
bison though this co-mingling. Nevertheless, brucellosis is similar
in bison to that in cattle. However, bison are not believed to
demonstrate abortion as do domestic cattle. This may or may not be
true. It might all depend upon the ability to observe and document
the circumstances.
It is encouraging to know the bison from the Yellowstone area remain
free of the disease and are not threatened by contact with the remaining herd.
While elk are suspected as being the source, this is still a
disturbing disease to be found on a ranch whose management is
regarded as very good.
Brucellosis vaccine RB51 has been shown to be effective in bison.
However, handling these wonderful creatures can be another challenge.
With approximately 2 million acres of personal and ranch land, Ted
Turner is the largest individual landholder in North America. Turner
lands are innovatively managed and work to partner economic viability
with ecological sustainability. All Turner ranches operate as working
businesses, relying on bison and outfitting as principal enterprises.
In addition, Turner ranches support many progressive environmental
projects including water resource management, reforestation and the
reintroduction of native species to the land.
Turner Enterprises also manages over 50 000 head of bison across the
various Turner ranches.
The Flying D ranch is 113 613 acres (45 977.549 hectares) and was
acquired in 1989. The ranch supports bison ranching, elk hunting,
wolf restoration, and cutthroat trout reintroduction.
Bison seem to be a politically sensitive topic, and with dwindling
funds for USDA to buy out diseased herds, it is understandable they
will take a case by case approach to find the most workable solution
to this situation.
Portions of this comment have been extracted from:
******
[3] Wyoming
Date: 5 Nov 2010
Source: Cattlenetwork.com [edited]
Only one more cow has initially tested positive for brucellosis, as
the state continues testing more than 1000 cows in the northern Wyoming area.
The new cow with the disease was from the same herd where the 1st 3
cows tested positive for exposure to the disease in preparation for
sale at a livestock market.
State Veterinarian Jim Logan tells the Powell Tribune that he's
encouraged that extensive testing has yielded only one more positive result.
14 Meeteetse area herds are quarantined under a state order until
testing is complete. Logan expects some results to become available next week.
The source of the brucellosis is not yet known.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[Since this cow is from the same herd as the previous 3, it is
unlikely this event will threaten the brucellosis status of Wyoming.
The area around the Greater Yellowstone area has been a difficult
area within which to control the disease. The winter feeding grounds
of elk and bison are enormously popular with tourists. However, the
feeding grounds provide an excellent way to transmit the disease
between animals. Some of these animals then leave the park and
encounter domestic animals, which are sensitive to the disease.
It is good news for Wyoming that only one herd seems to have infected
animals. There has been much hard work on the part of the state
officials to trace where animals have been and where they came from
to try and track down the origin of the disease. - Mod.TG]
[For the HealthMap/ProMED map showing Wyoming, see
[see also:
Brucellosis, bovine - USA: (WY) 20101101.3956
Brucellosis, cervid - USA (05): Yellowstone 20100427.1352
Brucellosis, cervid - USA (04): Yellowstone 20100425.1340
Brucellosis, cervid - USA (03): (Gtr. Yellowstone Ecosystem) 20100401.1048
Brucellosis, cervid - USA: (WY) corr. 20100212.0502
Brucellosis, cervid - USA (02): (WY) corr. 20100212.0501
Brucellosis, cervid - USA: (WY) 20100211.0480
2004
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Brucellosis, bison vaccination - USA (WY) 20040327.0847
1999
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Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control (07) 19990606.0950
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control (06) 19990528.0893
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control (05) 19990526.0884
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control (04) 19990524.0870
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control (03) 19990521.0835
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control (03) 19990519.0827
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control (02) 19990514.0787
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control 19990512.0775
1997
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Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana) (03) 19970205.0263
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana) (02) 19970203.0237
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana) 19970201.0224]
..........................................sb/tg/msp/mpp
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