03/18/05 Emergency order on TB testing

03/18/05 Emergency order on TB testing

Washington Ag March 18, 2005 To keep Washington state free of cattle tuberculosis the Washington State Department of Agriculture issued an emergency order this week requiring all dairy cows and bulls six months of age or older to test negative for TB within 60 days prior to entering the state. State veterinarian Doctor Leonard Eldridge says the action was needed because several cases of TB have occurred in the last two years in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Michigan. He says introduction of TB into Washington would have severe economic consequences. Jay Gordon, executive director of the Washington State Dairy Federation, says they support the department's decision. The Washington Cattlemen's Association-Washington State University All Breed Bull Test Sale is coming up next Wednesday, March 23rd at noon at the Agricultural Research and Extension Center near Prosser. Cattle sale manager Gary Kendall says this is always a popular event. Kendall: "We have a full capacity crowd there each year. These are yearling bulls. They have been handled the same. Plus the fact that we do ultrasound work and that information. We gather about as much information as you can on anything that goes through a yearling bull test." On Tuesday, March 22nd, there is a social hour starting at six p.m. which will be followed by a presentation from Doctor Sally Northcutt, the Genetic Research Director at the American Angus Association. I'm Bob Hoff.
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