June 7, 2002
TB status causes cattle
industry uncertainty
By Mike Barnett
Editor
By the time you read this Texas will have most likely lost its TB-free status and, with that ruling, will face restrictions on moving cattle out of state.
Texas' downgrade from TB-free status is the result of two outbreaks of bovine tuberculosis in 2001—one in South Central Texas and one in Southwest Texas. More than 130 other herds have been tested, as Texas Animal Health Commission and USDA officials search for the origin of the disease outbreak, and where it might have spread. No other infected herds have been detected, and veterinary epidemiologists have been unable to pinpoint the source of the infection.
This TB status downgrade will mean that the 150,000 or more breeding cattle sent out of state each year must have a negative tuberculosis skin test prior to being moved.
According to Dr. Linda Logan, Texas' state veterinarian and TAHC executive director, if sellers arrive at a livestock market with untested breeding cattle, market management will need to designate the untested animals as "Texas-only" cattle, restrict the cattle to slaughter only, or they will have to make arrangements for the animals to be tested.
"Producers can avoid delays in moving their cattle, if they'll have their accredited veterinarian test animals prior to sale," Logan said.
Of greater concern are the 1.5 million feeder cattle that leave Texas each year. Federal TB requirements will apply to those cattle as of January 2003.
Jon Johnson, Texas Farm Bureau associate director of commodities and regulatory activities, said the TB Working Group—comprised of representatives of cattle industry organizations including Texas Farm Bureau, and cattle-related government entities—is working on ways to identify those animals.
"Animals going out of state direct to slaughter will only have to have health papers," Johnson explained. "But those going to grass or feedlots will have to be identified. Right now we're probably looking at putting a TX brand on the right hip and some type of official ear tag. But that hasn't been decided yet."
What worries USDA/APHIS is that a cattleman will pull a heifer off of grass or out of a feedlot for use as a replacement heifer. At that point in time she would have to be tested.
"That's why we've got to devise some type of identification that would show, if the heifer is pulled out, that she would stand out in a herd of breeding cattle as being of Texas origin and has not had a TB test. She would then have to be tested," Johnson said.
Statewide alternative
Texas Farm Bureau President Donald Patman presented an alternative to statewide TB regulation to members of the Texas Animal Health Commission on May 22, suggesting that zoning the state for the purpose of regulating the disease is preferable to regulating the entire state.
"A majority of the TB Working Group feels that the `zone' approach would be the most viable option because it would concentrate the efforts to control the disease to specific areas," Patman testified. "This could reduce the need for additional funds, personnel and equipment, and it would allow the rest of the state to continue operating without restrictions."
Patman suggested TAHC complete a feasibility study that would include an economic and development plan for a zone approach to deal with tuberculosis in Texas prior to implementing a statewide testing and identification program.
That approach would be feasible with the two cases the state has currently identified. However, Patman said it may not work if other cases are identified.
And some in the industry fear those two cases may just be the tip of the iceberg.
Mexican cattle
The reason: concern that Mexican cattle may be the source of the disease.
According to Johnson, approximately 1 million head of cattle per year are imported from Mexico. From Oct. 1, 2001 to March 10, 2002, some 53 cases of Bovine TB were identified. Of those 53 cases, 30 of the 53 cattle had Mexican official ear tags or were shown to be Mexican cattle by epidemiological identification.
"Twenty-one cases are still pending," Johnson said. "Most will be Mexican origin once the investigations are completed. So out of these 55 cases we had up until March 10, you could say 53 of those came out of Mexico."
The other two cases are the adult cattle found in South Central and Southwest Texas.
"The two herds that had infections, TAHC has done all the trace-ins and have done all the trace-outs," Johnson said. "They were not able to find where the infection came from. In the past several years, Mexican cattle have been in close proximity to both of these herds."
This has raised a red flag in the Texas cattle industry.
"There's no proof the infection came from Mexico," Johnson said. "It's just highly suspect. We haven't had any infection in Texas except in Mexican cattle at slaughter. We haven't had it in our domestic herd until these two herds turned up.
"A major concern of the Texas Animal Health Commission, APHIS and the Texas TB Working Group is that there are Mexican cattle scattered all over the state and there are other opportunities for additional cases to turn up.
Another concern is thousands of head of Mexican roping steers spread across all parts of Texas and in fact, the entire country. Although those animals are required to be tested once a year, it has been the responsibility of the owner to make sure they are tested.
"I don't think this has been strictly enforced but it is a priority of the Texas Animal Health Commission now," Johnson said. "All roping steers will be tested once a year."
This is in addition to a TB test at the border when imported—required of all Mexican cattle—an M brand on the right hip and an official ear tag from the Mexican state they were from.
Uncertain times
One thing is for certain: Texas cattle moving out of state will face some restrictions.
"We can expect some restrictions over the next few years for movement of cattle out of state, especially," Johnson said. "If we go two years without any new infected herds, then we reapply and regain our TB-free status. "
