Wednesday, August 13, 2008

State's ranchers face more expenses

Argen Duncan El Defensor Chieftain Reporter

ADUNCAN Cattle ranchers are facing increased expenses with a downgrade in the state's bovine tuberculosis status.

The downgrade from "tuberculosis free" to "modified accredited advanced tuberculosis state" is expected from the U.S. Department of Agriculture any day.

The situation results from the discovery of dairy cattle and a roping steer with bovine TB on the eastern side of New Mexico. Those animals were destroyed.

In simplest terms, said Socorro County Cooperative Extension agent Tom Dean, the change means cattle producers will have to do more tuberculosis testing on cattle before the animals leave the state. State veterinarian David Fly said anyone shipping dairy or beef breeding cattle out of state will have to test the animals within 60 days before the cattle leave.

"It's a negative impact which requires quite a bit of money for them to sell," Fly said.

With extra costs of $8 per animal for tests alone, Fly said the estimated out-of-pocket expense to producers is $6.5 million for the whole state.

Other states have varying rules dealing with accepting cattle from a state without a tuberculosis-free status.

Fly's staff is working with the governor and Legislature to find a way to minimize the impact of the downgrade.

Although the infected herds have been removed, Fly said, rules require two to three years of additional testing. The state must have no cattle test positive for bovine tuberculosis during that time to regain its tuberculosis-free status.

"We'll have to do a lot of testing to get our tuberculosis-free status back," Dean said.

Fly said bovine tuberculosis can be spread to people and other animals, but only one cow in 2,000 to 3,000 has it. Also, pasteurization of milk protects dairy consumers from the disease, and animals found with tuberculosis lung lesions upon slaughter don't enter the food supply, according to written information from New Mexico State University.

Bovine tuberculosis is usually through close contact with infected animals, according to the information, but it can travel through contaminated feed, water and pastures as well.

"With this whole scenario of tuberculosis and disease in general, I think it's really important for our producers to be careful in handling their cattle so they don't end up in a predicament of being quarantined, because it's not a pretty picture when that happens," Dean said.

For more information, contact the County Extension office at 575-835-0610.

aduncan@dchieftain.com

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