Canadian cattle topic at Cattle Producers of Washington meeting

Washington Ag Today September 29, 2009 Those Canadian cattle imported to Washington and put onto rangeland without proper disease testing is a major issue for the Cattle Producers of Washington and was on the agenda at their annual meeting this past weekend. Some of those Canadian cattle have yet to be rounded up and tested and CPoW President Wade King says some Washington producers aren’t sure what they should do.

King: “Some of the ranchers up there that those cattle have co-mingled with, they are kind of nervous because they are not sure whether to move those cattle or leave those cattle there, or to mix the cattle with some of their other cattle. So there are some real concerns there.”

Washington state veterinarian Dr. Leonard Eldridge told the CPoW meeting that only 45 head of the approximately 400 head of the Agri Beef Co. imported cattle have yet to be gathered. The others are in pens either awaiting testing, awaiting test results or had their test results returned. Eldridge says the fact 216 head have all tested negative for TB makes for a more positive outlook on how this will turn out.

King says he’s satisfied with how the state has handled the situation.

King: “Yes I am. I have been in contact with Director Newhouse and Dr. Eldridge on a regular basis and they are doing everything they can to get this done expeditiously and try to change our import protocols so this can‘t happen again.”

The Cattle Producers of Washington also heard from state Agriculture Director Dan Newhouse on this continuing investigation. That story tomorrow.

I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network.

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