The beef industry is still working on investigations started by an Alberta cow in September 2016.

As of November 3, the number of positive Bovine Tuberculosis cases remains at six, and all six cases are from the same herd.

This herd has been released from quarantine.

Karin Schmid, Beef Production Specialist with the Alberta Beef Producers, says the trace-in testing, which looks at animals sold to the index herd to determine if they were the cause of the infection, is right on track.

"The number of herds actually involved in the trace-in testing is many fewer than we had first anticipated. The quarantines are quite a bit shorter for the most part. The communication through the utilization of case officers has been quite successful in terms of using those case officers to communicate directly with the affected trace-in producers, and schedule testing."

30 ranches will be tested in Alberta as part of the trace-in activities, and nine Alberta ranches have already been tested and released.

Schmid says, all the on-farm testing should be done by Christmas.

"I think for the most part they (the affected ranchers) are getting back to a normal routine. The ranches that did have to go through that depopulation process are undergoing restocking testing right now, so that's still one piece that's outstanding, because there's two separate restocking tests. And so, their final restocking test will be next fall."

About 11,500 animals were destroyed with compensation, and 17,500 animals have been released from quarantine.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is working with the Provincial Government to ensure that any risks associated with TB in wildlife are included in the investigation.

They will do this by monitoring elk in southeast Alberta.

For more information, you can visit the link to a resource by the Alberta Beef Producers, or visit the CFIA website.

 

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