Media Contact: Catherine Dehdashti, U of M Extension (612) 625-0237, ced@umn.edu

U of M Extension Beef Team hosts bovine tuberculosis stakeholder's conference

ST. PAUL, Minn. (7/20/2009) — The University of Minnesota Extension Beef Team will bring together state agencies, veterinarians and stakeholders for a conference on bovine tuberculosis (TB) and the impact of the disease in Minnesota and other states. The conference will be held July 27-28 at Sugar Lake Resort near Grand Rapids, Minn.

The goal of this conference is to assess the current state of bovine TB and how to move forward to eradicate bovine TB and prevent future occurrences. The conference will consist of four primary sessions:

Economic impacts of bovine TB, including the impact of bovine TB on local communities, recreational land ownership and cattle production.

TB transmission, including current strategies of wildlife removal and understanding of TB transmission through feedstuffs and between and within animal species. Also included in this session will be a tour of the University of Minnesota’s North Central Research and Outreach Center where past, current and future bovine TB research will be discussed.

Regulatory aspects of bovine TB, focusing on current strategies for bovine TB control and eradication in Minnesota and a report from USDA representatives on federal regulations related to bovine TB eradication. This session will conclude with a panel of state veterinarians from Minnesota and bordering states to discuss what has been learned from recent TB outbreaks and detail each state’s strategy for controlling bovine TB.

An action plan session bringing together professionals from both livestock and wildlife to determine what steps need to be taken to continue to move Minnesota toward bovine TB eradication.

Speakers and panelists for this conference include cattle producers, recreational landowners, veterinarians and agricultural lenders, as well as representatives from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Department of Natural Resources, Board of Animal Health, the Minnesota Deer Hunter’s Association, Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association, the USDA, and the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.

Registration for the conference is free, and can be completed by contacting Denise Plonis at (218) 327-4490 or ploni001@umn.edu.

Source: Grant Crawford, Beef Cattle educator with U of M Extension

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