A dairy herd in Dane County has been quarantined by state authorities after one cow was discovered to have bovine tuberculosis, a contagious disease that can possibly spread to humans.
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection released a statement Monday confirming the discovery. The statement said a cow carcass at the farm was tested for TB following a routine slaughter in late September and all other cows on the farm were tested after the results came back positive.
The herd was immediately quarantined by the DATCP, meaning no animals will be allowed on and off the farm.
The DATCP said the strain of TB found in the cow matched the strain found in a worker on the same farm in 2015.
“We are working closely with the herd owner, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Health Services, area veterinarians, industry partners and other herd owners," Dr. Darlene Konkle, DATCP’s acting state veterinarian, said. "We are taking aggressive measures to control and prevent the spread of this disease.”
Wisconsin has been certified tuberculosis-free since 1980, a certification they will be able to keep if the outbreak does not spread. Despite the outbreak, the DATCP said pasteurized milk is still safe to drink and meat from infected cows would be kept off the market under food safety laws.
