02/08/08 USA is brucellosis free

Brucellosis is a bacterial disease that can cause weight loss in cattle and decreased milk production. It can cause cows to abort calves prematurely and it can potentially be transmitted to humans. KNIGHT "Texas is the last and final state to be declared free of brucellosis." USDA Undersecretary Bruce Knight says the brucellosis eradication program in this country has been in effect for 74 years. KNIGHT "There's been this effort to eradicate brucellosis. This is a significant milestone in the success or the federal state partnership on disease eradication." With no cases of brucellosis in livestock herds that doesn't mean that the bacterial disease can't return. Bison and elk herds near Yellowstone provide a reservoir for the disease where many wild animals have been tested and brucellosis has been confirmed. KNIGHT "We at USDA work very closely with the National Park Service with other agencies in efforts to try to control that and eventually to eradicate that as well so that we have taken it entirely off of the scope of picture of the United States." And that is something that Idaho producers say couldn't happen soon enough. Idaho attained brucellosis free status last year after taking action when some cattle near Yellowstone contracted the disease. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott