Texas Cattle Tuberculosis Free!
Texas Ranchers achieved a four-year-old objective Tuesday, October 3, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in the Federal Register that the state has regained cattle tuberculosis-free (TB) status. Since September 2003, more that 335,000 cows in Texas’ 818 dairies, and nearly 129,000 beef cattle in 2,014 of the state’s seed stock and purebred herds have been tested for cattle TB. This action was taken to ensure that all TB infection had been detected and eliminated, and that effective disease surveillance has been implemented. For more information see the TAHC Web site.
Oklahoma Drought Relief Meetings
If you’re a Breeder in Oklahoma and your herd has been hit hard by the 2006 drought, teams of Oklahoma State Workers want to talk to you. Breeders will have until November 20, 2006, to apply for money to cover losses through the Livestock Assistance Grant Program. Owners of cattle, sheep, goats, bison and commercial deer and elk are eligible for this program. But the maximum a producer can receive, according to the report on MyCattle.com, is $10,000. This will help producers, but some losses won’t be recoverable.
The Livestock Assistance Grant Program was announced in late August by USDA Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and includes $50 million for livestock producers for all 50 states. To read the press release on the USDA Web site click here.To read the story on MyCattle.com click here.
Cattle Rustling: A Growing Scourge
The steady rise of beef prices and the easy profit has spurred a resurgence of cattle rustling in the beef industry. According to an article in The Washington Times, Texas cattle auction markets have become the scene of the crime where everyday, the article claims, stolen cattle are sold.
This problem has a far-reaching effect to all cattle industries, but centers in the beef market. The Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association is trying to combat this problem with “cattle rangers”, full-time investigators that track down cattle rustlers.
In early August 2006, a story published in The Dallas Morning News detailed this problem and was featured in E-Trails Issue 99.
The Washington Times article said that cattle raisers can help combat this problem by branding the animals. Another way to keep your cattle from being stolen is by keeping a close eye on them and keeping good records. Additionally registering your cattle will help you in the event that any of your cattle are stolen. Click here to read the Washington Times article.
Hauling Livestock Alert From Texas Animal Health Commission
Texas hunters or ranchers hauling horses or other livestock from Wyoming this fall should be aware of regulations affecting the animals’ entry or re-entry into Texas, says Dr. Bob Hillman, head of the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), the state’s livestock and poultry health regulatory agency. Vesicular stomatitis (VS), a viral disease that can affect horses, cattle, swine, deer, sheep or goats, has been confirmed in 12 horses and 10 cattle on a total of nine premises in Natrona and Converse counties in southeast Wyoming. As of late September, these are the only cases confirmed in the U.S. this year.
To help prevent the spread of VS, Texas livestock health regulations prohibit the entry of horses, cattle, swine, (live) deer, sheep or goats from VS-quarantined premises or areas. Animals may enter Texas from non-quarantined areas of an affected state, provided an accredited veterinarian in that state examines the animals and determines that they are not exhibiting evidence of vesicular stomatitis and writes the following statement on a current or new certificate of veterinary inspection: “the animals represented on this health certificate have not originated from a premise or area under quarantine for vesicular stomatitis." For more information se the TAHC Web site.
E-Trails Note: Send your interesting news and ideas to - Cole@tlbaa.org.
-Cole Dowden
back
|
