KANSAS DISCONTINUES BRUCELLOSIS TESTING
Kansas gained “free” status in the national brucellosis eradication program in 1999. Much of the credit for this accomplishment goes to our livestock markets, operators and veterinarians. Producers, who sold test eligible animals, paid a fee to have these animal tested at each point of sale. This surveillance program, paid for by producers and facilitated by the markets, led Kansas to “free” status.
We have maintained the market test program since that time to make sure we had eradicated brucellosis from our cow herd. In 2001, a single brucellosis reactor was found at one of our livestock markets; the last brucellosis positive animal to be found in Kansas.
Last year we quit testing blood at the markets, relying solely on the lab tests as our surveillance program along with blood from the slaughter plants. Earlier this year, the Kansas Animal Health Board recommended that we drop the change of ownership testing requirements for Kansas production sales.
Every state within the United States is now free of brucellosis. The only known reservoir is in the bison and elk within Yellowstone National Park and some of the surrounding area. There is no scientific reason to continue testing cattle for brucellosis at Kansas markets. As of July 1, 2008, the Kansas Animal Health Department will no longer require brucellosis testing at your market. We cannot justify the expense of testing at the markets for a disease that is not present. Surveillance will continue through our cull cow slaughter plants. We will continue to back tag cull, test eligible animals to facilitate the identification of these animals at slaughter.
Changes will have to occur to maintain veterinary inspection at your markets. Brucellosis testing has funded a portion of that cost. Kansas law requires veterinary inspection at the markets. Federal law requires veterinary inspection if a market participates in interstate commerce. At the present time, no substitute has been identified as a replacement for the brucellosis testing revenue.
