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Texas Agriculture Archive

January 3, 2003

Added movement restrictions lifted on Texas feeder cattle

Federal officials gave notice that Texas feeder cattle do not have to meet additional movement restrictions as of the first of the year. Representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) meeting with state animal health officials, announced a delay of at least nine months for any new movement requirements that would impact the interstate movement of Texas feeder cattle.

Texas lost its "free status" for cattle tuberculosis in the summer of 2001 when two infected herds were found. During the spring and summer, a TB working group comprised of representatives of Texas cattle organizations, including the Texas Farm Bureau, met with the USDA to look at alternatives to minimize the federal regulatory impact on Texas cattle producers.

The Texas livestock industry moves about 1.5 million feeder steers, feeder bull calves and feeder heifers out of state each year. Had the movement restrictions been imposed, producers would have been required to identify feeder steers with an official ear tag, and not only tag, but also TB test all feeder heifers and feeder bull calves.