09/09/08 Brucellosis in Montana

Montana has lost its federal disease free status for brucellosis because the disease has been found twice in that state in the past two years. BARTON " Wyoming is holding their breath. They have a positive herd. They're doing a lot of testing to see if they have any other herds that are positive." Idaho State Veterinarian Bill Barton says because of cattle in close proximity to elk from Yellowstone National Park there's concern. BARTON "We're doing surveillance in the eastern Idaho-greater Yellowstone area. The herds that we have identified a high risk zone in that area. The herds which habitat that area we have increased testing surveillance on, some of them test annually, some of them test once every three years. We have herd plans to mitigate any potential elk-cattle interaction. You know we're trying to do everything we can to limit our risk of exposure." Idaho has been on brucellosis free status for more than a year since regaining the designation in July 2007. Barton says he and the state vets from Montana and Wyoming meet and talk about ways they can prevent the disease from wildlife into domestic cattle. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott