7-10 IAN Trich War

 Trich testing is a contentious issue between the North and the South. Of Idaho that is.

 A couple of weeks ago I happened to be in a meeting up in McCall where beef producers all gathered in a room to discuss a number of issues concerning their business. I have to admit that I was thoroughly impressed by the number of guys who stood up and spoke on issues that directly affected them politically, financially and as neighbors. I guess what impressed me most was the number of times I heard the terms neighbors, and “We want to do the right thing.” As far as North and South, with the Salmon River being the border, there is an issue about testing for trichomoniasis which is a venereal disease of cattle that causes infertility and occasional abortions in cows and heifers. Here is executive director of Idaho cattlemen’s Association Wyatt Prescott discussing the issue: “Trich testing is a reproductive disease in cattle that causes abortions and there is a requirement in southern Idaho that all bulls have to be tested but in northern Idaho they don’t have any testing requirements. So there are producers who are concerned, especially in that where the border is on the Salmon River where you have to test and you don’t have to test on each side of it and there is concern that there are a lot of bulls moving North and South and in and out of those areas and that could increase their risk of exposure to the disease.”