SUBLETTE COUNTY – A brucellosis-suspect herd was released from quarantine in Sublette County on Dec. 13. The whole herd test did not reveal any further suspects, and follow-up testing on the suspect cow did not confirm the disease.

A cattle herd in Park County was confirmed as “brucellosis affected” following laboratory testing at the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL), Laramie. Laboratory results were confirmed at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL), in Ames, Iowa, Dec. 6. One cow tested positive on blood tests at both laboratories. Further testing, including bacterial culture, will be conducted in addition to the serology tests already completed.

Brucellosis-positive cattle are not uncommon within Wyoming’s Designated Surveillance Area (DSA), encompassing all or part of six counties along the western side of the state. Specified cattle from the DSA are required to be tested within 30 days prior to change of ownership or movement from counties within the DSA. The affected herd was quarantined following confirmation of test results and will remain under quarantine until three consecutive, negative, whole-herd tests have been completed. No contact herd quarantines are expected at this time.

The testing is a cooperative effort among herd owners, private veterinary practitioners, Wyoming Livestock Board personnel and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS) personnel. Epidemiologic interviews with herd owners are ongoing and quarantine herd plans will be developed with each herd owner associated with the case where indicated.

Epidemiologic tracing will be conducted in upcoming weeks by WLSB and APHIS personnel.

“Finding brucellosis in our DSA is not an unexpected event,” said Dr. Hallie Hasel, Wyoming State Veterinarian. “We have a reservoir of brucellosis in wildlife in northwest Wyoming that occasionally will spill over into cattle. Our producers do an excellent job of mitigating risks and trying to prevent brucellosis in their cattle herds. This situation illustrates the value and effectiveness of our surveillance program in Wyoming. We found this case before the disease spread to other areas and are dealing with it appropriately.”

Dr. Hasel thanked producers and veterinarians in both Park and Sublette counties for their cooperation in very difficult situations.

“Herd surveillance testing in Sublette County was completed expediently due to the producer’s cooperation and management efforts, along with local veterinarians’ willingness to add more to an already-packed schedule.”

For further information, please contact the Wyoming Livestock Board, 307-777-7515, email  HYPERLINK "mailto:lsbbrucellosis-mitigation@wyo.gov"lsbbrucellosis-mitigation@wyo.gov or call Wyoming State Veterinarian Dr. Hallie Hasel, 307-840-1389.