Bovine TB quarantine officially lifted for all affected properties
The quarantine has been lifted on all properties related to a case of bovine tuberculosis discovered near Jenner in late 2016, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced on Monday afternoon.
In total, about 30,000 cattle in 150 herds were tested as federal officials sought to contain the infectious disease over the past 16 months.
Only six cows were certified to have the infectious, respiratory ailment that is the target of an eradication campaign. About 11,500 cattle were ordered destroyed — either as part of the original infected herd, or in order to perform post-mortem investigation.
Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAuley said that while final testing results and a report will not be issued until later this spring, the lifting of the quarantine “is a positive step forward for Canada’s cattle industry.”
“The co-operation of individual producers and their industry associations played a key role in the progress of the investigation,” read a statement. “This has allowed Canada to retain its bovine TB free status with no disruption in access to international markets.”
Compensation totalling $39 million was paid for culled animals.
Additionally, $16.7 million was allocated in a federalprovincial program to help affected producers with interim costs of keeping and feeding calves and cattle they typically would have sold.
The investigation centred first on 79 “trace-out” herds located mostly in Cypress County that had received animals from the infected herd. Other properties were located in other parts of southeast Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Another 71 “trace-in” herds, were tested as the source of animals for populating the herd where the disease first showed up.
Officials have said the origin of the infection may never be known, but the genetics of the strain are similar to one detected in Mexico and was not native to Canada.
The investigation will be officially closed once the final report is completed and made public this spring.