Bovine tuberculosis was recently confirmed in a large dairy herd in Alpena
County and a large beef herd in Montmorency County during annual surveillance
testing. These are the 67th and 68th herds identified with bovine TB in
Michigan since 1998.
Both herds are located within the USDA-designated bovine TB Modified Accredited
Zone, which encompasses Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency and Oscoda counties. Annual
surveillance testing of herds and testing cattle before movement is required in
this area to prevent the spread of disease.
An informational meeting for cattle producers in Alpena and Montmorency
counties is scheduled for Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Michigan Department of
Agriculture and Rural Development's Atlanta office, 16860 M-32, Atlanta.
Within the MAZ, bovine TB is endemic in the free-ranging white-tailed deer
population, and any shared contact between deer and cattle can be a potential
source of infection. MDARD, Michigan State University Extension, Alpena
Conservation District, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services and
local producers are working together on a voluntary Enhanced Wildlife Risk
Mitigation program for high risk herds in the MAZ to help cattle producers strengthen
their herd's protection against wildlife interactions and bovine TB.
With a team of disease control experts and local producers, herd owners work to
further assess the potential vulnerabilities on their farm. The team provides
education on bovine TB transmission, examines deer behavior on their farm, and
suggests changes to the farmer, which will help them heighten their
biosecurity. Additionally, MDARD has provided cost-share funding opportunities
to producers for implementing some of the recommendations that may be cost
prohibitive.
"This Enhanced Wildlife Risk Mitigation partnership gives these farmers
access to the most knowledgeable bovine TB experts in the country, increasing
their ability to prevent infection," said Assistant State Veterinarian
Rick Smith, DVM. "The importance of this program is demonstrated by the
amount of time and energy donated to this effort, through these teams, by the
cattle farming community in order to help their neighbors."
In 2017, community meetings will be held in these high-risk neighborhoods to
discuss this effort and how farmers can work together to further reduce risk
from this disease. Cattle producers located in or adjacent to Deer Management
Unit 452 should contact the MDARD Atlanta Office at 989-785-5616 to start the
Enhanced Wildlife Risk Mitigation process.
--USAgNet