[Photo by Megan Overby]
For the first time since 2017, bovine tuberculosis (TB) has been found in a South Dakota beef herd. In a statement, state veterinarian Dr. Dustin Oedekoven said the infected cow was identified in January by meat inspectors at a Minnesota packing plant. The cow was then linked to a ranch in Corson County, and since then TB has been confirmed in additional animals. Oedekoven stresses that TB is not a current threat to food safety in the U.S. because of milk pasteurization and meat inspection programs. The State Veterinarian’s Office is working with the owner, area ranchers and others to mitigate further spread of the disease.
