Montana Imposes TB
Tests On ND Cattle

BISMARCK, N.D. —(AP)— Montana has put restrictions on the movement of North Dakota cattle after a Morton County dairy herd was found to be infected with bovine tuberculosis.

Montana has started requiring TB testing of North Dakota cattle that move into Montana, which costs between $10 and $20 per animal, said North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson.

``I think that the state of Montana really kind of over-reacted,'' he told a group of farmers and ranchers Friday. ``There's no evidence at all anywhere that this disease has gone beyond the quarantine area. And adjacent states have come to that same conclusion, and that's why they've done nothing.''

The state Board of Animal Health voted last Wednesday to destroy a 115-cow herd belonging to Morton County farmers Tom and Linda Fried. More than half the herd had earlier tested positive for tuberculosis, a highly infectious lung disease transmitted by airborne bacteria. It can be fatal.

The state has quarantined an estimated 5000 cattle in an 80-square mile area surrounding the Fried farm. All cattle in the area will be tested.

Results from the first herd tested near the Fried farm came back negative, officials said Friday.

``That's a very good sign,'' State Veterinarian Larry Schuler said.

North Dakota's livestock industry has been certified as tuberculosis-free since 1976, meaning ranchers can ship cattle across state lines without testing them for the disease.

If one more herd in North Dakota tests positive, the state will lose its TB-free status. It can take five years to get back.

``If you're looking at 800,000 to 900,000 calves (a year) that leave the state being TB tested, it's a huge impact,'' Schuler said.

He said Montana's state Division of Livestock imposed its sanctions on March 4. The TB testing requirement is for an indefinite period of time, he said.

``The other states, Minnesota and South Dakota, are aware of the situation and are allowing us to determine how much infection is here before they go on with any requirements,'' he said.

Officials said it will take at least three weeks to process all the TB exams from the quarantined area.

``This is a really scary thing,'' said Pam Geiger, a neighbor of the Frieds. ``I feel for Tom and Linda. There's so many unknowns yet, and I just have a real concern for the neighborhood and the effects that this will have.''