Published: March 13, 2008 11:39 am            

Letter: Keeping deer away from farms is key to stopping TB

Originally published in the March 7, 2008, print edition.

To the Editor:

I would like to offer this update on the status of bovine tuberculosis in Minnesota, what you can do to help in the eradication of this disease and answer questions about your food safety.

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health had identified 10 TB infected herds since 2005 in northwest Minnesota. These herds are beef herds. Seven of the herds depopulated and the remaining three herds are currently going through an appraisal process to purchase the herds for removal.

The Department of Natural Resources has been active in testing wild deer in the same area within a 15 mile radius of the affected herds. To date, 17 deer have either tested positive or are currently being tested for TB. This is from a total of more than 1,650 that were removed from the core area and tested.

Currently, deer feeding is prohibited in the TB affected areas, with 29 illegal deer feeding sites removed from 22 properties, leading to enforcement investigations at stopping this illegal activity.

Future plans are for removal of additional deer from the affected area and deer-proof fencing to be provided to farmers in this area to protect stored agricultural feed from wild deer.

The DNR will continue to monitor hunter harvested deer from the affected area until there are two consecutive years of no positive tests.

Farmers will continue to test animals in the affected area to be sure that no new animals are identified.

If an additional herd is found in Minnesota, the entire state is scheduled to lose accreditation as “Modified Accredited Advanced” to “Modified Advanced.” If this were to happen, shipment of cattle out of Minnesota would fall under more stringent guidelines, and the state of Minnesota is working to review these guideline to assure that all guidelines would be met. All farmers would then have additional testing be done on their herds.

As consumers, please remember these facts:
• TB has not been identified in any dairy herd in this state.
• All milk sold in our state is pasteurized, a process that kills any bacteria.
• All beef is checked by licensed veterinarians for disease before and after slaughter.
• Adequate cooking of beef destroys the TB bacteria.

The Board of Animal Health will be requesting funding from the state legislature this year to be used solely for TB prevention and control. Contact your state legislator to request this funding. Estimates of the funding need ranges from $1 million to $5 million.

If you have any concerns about this, check the Board of Animal Health website at www.bah.state.mn.us.

Jim Checkel
Dodge County Farm Bureau president

        

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