Canada TB has not spread

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) investigators say they are confident the bovine tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in Alberta hasn’t spread beyond the province’s borders since six cases of the disease were discovered in September 2016. Testing of trace-in herds (herds that sent animals to the infected herd in the past five years) is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2017. Trace-in herds are tested to determine if they were the source of infection, but it is possible that the source will not be found, CFIA said. The one infected premises which had six animals infected with the same strain of bovine TB has been released from quarantine. Four premises that housed comingled herds are under quarantine (with no cattle) and will be released once cleaning and disinfection is completed. One trace-out herd (a herd that received animals from the infected herd in the past five years) is under quarantine. To date, approximately 11,500 animals associated with the infected, comingled, trace-out and trace-in herds have been destroyed with compensation paid to the owners and approximately 26,000 animals have been released from quarantine.