Wis. State Vet Eases TB Tests For Minn. Cattle

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Cattle brought from Minnesota to Wisconsin no longer have to be tested for bovine tuberculosis.

The requirement for TB testing dates back to 2005, when state animal-health authorities discovered an infected beef herd in northwestern Minnesota. That led federal officials to downgrade Minnesota's TB status, and several states imposed import requirements on cattle from there.

Wisconsin's agriculture department says Minnesota has since eliminated the disease, and that U.S. agriculture officials have restored Minnesota's TB-free status.

That's good enough for Wisconsin state veterinarian Robert Ehlenfeldt. Following the federal action this month, he has removed the last testing requirement for cattle brought from Minnesota to Wisconsin.

Those cattle will now be subject to the same inspection requirements as those from other states. The requirements include official identification and certificates of veterinary inspection.

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