Cooperative Extension University of Wisconsin-Extension

Issues in Agriculture

Bovine Tuberculosis

By: Jeff Lehnkuhler, Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison
July 22, 2005

PDF Version

Bovine Tuberculosis and Animal Health Permit Requirements

The recent discovery of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in a cattle herd in northwest Minnesota should raise some concern for Wisconsin cattle operations. Michigan also has been striving to manage TB in the cattle population along with other states. It is important that producers be informed about the animal health permits required for cattle entering Wisconsin. Additionally, those wanting to learn a bit more about bovine tuberculosis may find the following useful.

Disease & Control

United States Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health and Inspection Services (USDA APHIS) has assembled a fact sheet that addresses the major concerns surrounding TB. A summary of the information is provided below and readers are encouraged to visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_ahtb.html for the APHIS factsheet.

Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria belonging to the group Mycobacterium. Three strains are known which include: M. bovis, M. avium, and M. tuberculosis. The disease (M. bovis) is contagious to all warmblooded animals including humans. The organism can survive only for a few weeks outside of a host. Tuberculosis is a chronic disease in which host animals may show no symptoms of infection until harvest at which time lesions may be found on any of the organs, intestines, and lymph nodes. The United States has a nationwide surveillance program in place at both State and Federally inspected plants. These inspections are post-mortem looking for the indicative lesions mentioned above. Additionally, states requiring testing for import or export may conduct a skin test which is an immune response to tuberculin which is derived from killed TB bacteria. Swelling and irritation around the site of injection of tuberculin would be indicative of a potentially infected animal. Further diagnosis would then be required to confirm.

When a herd is diagnosed with TB, APHIS will typically depopulate the herd. If the herd cannot be depopulated, the herd would be quarantined and tested routinely until there is no further evidence of infection. Animal health officials will attempt to trace all exposed animals looking through records to identify animals moving into and out of the infected herd.

Accreditation of TB status is dependent upon the time of the last finding. For a state to be “TB-Free”, it must have no confirmed cases for five years, and the State must have in place a surveillance program and laws that govern livestock dealers. Records are required to be kept that allow animal health officials to trace infected animals if the need would arise. Livestock owners may also obtain a herd accreditation. A negative finding must be obtained on two annual TB tests for all cattle over the age of 24 months and cattle of any age that are purchased or brought into the herd that did not originate from the herd. Livestock from a TB-free State may be added without a qualifying test. To continue as an accredited herd, annual testing is required. For additional information on herd accreditation, see “Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication, Uniform Methods and Rules (UM&R) at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/bovtbumr/bovtb1.html .

Wisconsin Health Permits

If you are not currently aware of the animal health requirements for the state of Wisconsin, you should take some time to familiarize yourself with them (http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/ah/agriculture/animals/movement/cattle_bison_req.jsp ). The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and Consumer Trade Protection can be contacted for information regarding animal health permit requirements (Division of Animal Health 608.224.4872). When looking through the permit requirements, it is important to consider what type of animal and where these animals are coming from. It is important to note that this was as of June 2004. The following are a summary of the health permit requirements and you are encouraged to read the complete requirements or contact WI DATCP with questions prior to import/export of cattle.

  • Cattle from Michigan require a permit to enter Wisconsin and can be obtained by calling 608.224.4872.
  • Breeding cattle must be officially identified and have a valid Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI)
  • Brucellosis Requirements
    • CVI and officially identified
    • Sexually intact cattle from brucellosis-free states or certified brucellosis-free herds are exempt from brucellosis testing
    • CVI must include the herd number, last test date, and state on the CVI “animal included in the last herd test”
    • All other intact animals from Class A states over 6 months of age, and officially calfhood vaccinated females over 20 months of age must be test-negative by a federally approved test within 30 days of import.
    • Cattle moving within the state of Wisconsin do not require prior tests or a CVI
  • Tuberculosis Requirements
    • Cattle from TB accredited-free states are exempt from test
    • Domestic cattle from accredited herds (except herds from Michigan) are exempt from test
    • CVI from accredited herds must state herd number, last test date, and “animal included in last herd test”
    • Cattle from New Mexico, Texas, California, North Dakota (dairy), and South Dakota (dairy) require a negative TB test within 60 days of movement for any age or originate from an accredited TB free herd. If the animal is 6 months of age or older and was not included in the herd test, it must test negative within 60 days of movement into Wisconsin.
    • Cattle from Michigan must originate from a herd that has had a whole-herd negative TB test within the last 12 months. All cattle over 12 months of age must have been included in the herd test. Date of the whole-herd test must be stated on the CVI. In addition, if the whole-herd test was more than 60 days from the import date, or if the animal was not included in the whole-herd test, each individual animal of any age must be TB test-negative within 60 days of import. Imported cattle will be quarantined on arrival and a post-arrival TB test is required 60-90 days after entering Wisconsin. A copy of the CVI must be faxed by the veterinarian issuing the CVI to 608.224.4871.
  • Feeder cattle require a CVI and be officially identified
    • Steers and veal calves are exempt from official identification
    • A permit is required for cattle originating from Michigan
    • Feeder cattle of any age from Michigan must originate from a herd that has undergone a whole-herd negative TB test within the last 12 months. All cattle over 12 months of age must have been included in the whole-herd test. In addition, if the whole-herd test was more than 60 days from the import date, or if the animal was not included in the whole-herd test, each individual animal of any age must be TB test-negative within 60 days of import. All feeder cattle from Michigan will be quarantined upon arrival. Feeder cattle imported from Michigan may only be removed from the premises under VS 1-27 Permit for Movement of Restricted Animals for shipment to slaughter. A copy of the CVI must be faxed to 608.224.4871 by the issuing veterinarian.
    • Feeder cattle originating from New Mexico, Texas, and California require a negative TB test within 60 days of movement for animals of any age, or they must originate from an accredited TB free herd. If the animal is 6 months of age or older, and was not included in the whole-herd test, it must be negative for TB within 60 days before shipment.
    • Females must be officially identified individually. Feeder cattle entering Wisconsin and going to an approved feedlot (inspected by Division of Animal Health and assigned an approved feedlot number) do not require any tests, except in the case of feeder cattle from Michigan (see above). Feeder cattle require a CVI with the approved feedlot number included. All feeder cattle not going to an approved feedlot must meet the breeding cattle import requirements.

Again, it is recommended that you contact the Division of Animal Health at DATCP with questions regarding animal health requirements prior to importing cattle into Wisconsin. Additionally, if you are exporting animals to other states it is important to check with the destination state to determine what is required by you before shipping cattle.

For more information: Jeff Lehmkuhler, 608-263-7761, jeff.lehmkuhler@ces.uwex.edu