Disease found in cattle herd
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Bovine tuberculosis has been discovered in a cattle herd on the border with Canada – the first finding in Minnesota since 1971 – and will lead to the destruction of about 900 animals, state officials said Wednesday. A federal inspector monitoring the slaughter of a 5-year-old cow in February spotted suspicious internal lesions. Laboratory tests later confirmed the cow had TB, according to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.
The animal was traced back to a herd in Roseau County in northern Minnesota. The U.S. Department of Agriculture bought a sample of the herd for further testing, had the animals slaughtered and found 18 cases of the disease.
On Tuesday, the USDA declared the herd infected and started the process for destroying it, said state animal board spokeswoman Malissa Fritz.
She said the USDA will pay the owner, who was not identified.