By CHAT News Today

CFIA to focus on trace-in herds in bovine tuberculosis investigation

Jun 16, 2017 | 3:19 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is shifting its focus in the ongoing investigation into bovine tuberculosis in Alberta.

“We’re moving into our third phase, which is known as the trace-in phase, and that’s where might the disease have come from,” said Dr. Rick James-Davies, the lead bovine tuberculosis inspector with the CFIA, over the phone from Winnipeg.

Trace-in herds are groups of animals introduced to the infected herd in the last five years.

The infected herd, located near Jenner, has been depopulated, along with the highest risk herds which co-mingled with the infected herd. Approximately 11,500 animals were destroyed during the outbreak, which began in September 2016. The quarantines on many of the herds have been lifted.

CFIA confirmed six total cases of bovine tuberculosis in the infected herd, and there have been no more cases reported.

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The CFIA will identify 200 herds as trace-in herds, which will be placed under quarantine from September 2017 to February 2018. The organization is getting in contact with ranchers, and will begin scheduling inspections in July.

Davies says the disruption to ranchers should be minimal.

“We’ll really encourage them to have sort of finished their fall run, have all their normal cattle movements that they would do in the fall finished, so that when we start the testing process – and animals do need to remain under control in that process for a few weeks – it really should be of negligible impact on them,” he said.