April 21, 2000

For the first time in 50-plus years, Texas is down to only one herd known to be infected with brucellosis. But it’s no time to back off, according to Dr. Terry Beals, Texas state veterinarian and executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC).

"Since March 9, we’ve held the line at one cattle herd (which is located in Live Oak County) under quarantine," reported Beals, praising the outstanding producer cooperation, when area testing was carried out in 19 other Texas counties or portions of counties that experienced either a high rate of brucellosis or recurrent infection. "Many of these counties have been free of infection for many months. "We can’t let up until we’re certain every last infected herd has been found and depopulated or cleaned up. I feel sure there are several infected herds in the state that have not yet been detected. With the incidence of infection so low, clinical signs of the disease are rare in herds. We have to depend on testing at the livestock markets, adjacent herd testing, epidemiological traceback and testing, and risk assessments to find those last infected herds...We either get it all now, or it will come back to haunt us."

Eradication efforts in 47 other states have succeeded.

Nearly every long-time cattle rancher in Texas has had a brush with brucellosis, or knows someone who has lost a herd because of the disease. But thanks to the resolve of animal health officials and cattle producers working together, Texas has made tremendous strides on the eradication front. According to Beals, the Lone Star State was home to 20,000 infected herds in the early 1950s, when eradication efforts began. By April 1991, that number was down to 412, and it had dropped to 47 in March of 1995. In calendar year 1999, 22 infected cattle herds were detected in Texas. Due to an attractive state/federal buy-out program, 18 of those herds were depopulated and indemnified at market value.

Through a "fee-basis" testing program, ranchers can have their private veterinary practitioner handle testing of "at-risk" herds. To be declared officially "free" of infection, Texas may have no infected herds for at least 12 consecutive months.