TB was traced to a cull cow feedlot in southeastern South Dakota in August 2006. The cow was identified with lesions suspicious of TB during routine slaughter surveillance at a Wisconsin plant.

Samples were submitted to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, and were initially classified as negative for the disease.

Further testing, including a culture of the Mycobacterium bovis bacteria, confirmed that the animal had been infected with bovine TB.

The South Dakota Animal Industry Board announced the findings on Feb. 8, 2007.

The situation is familiar for Minnesotans.

On July 12, 2005, Minnesota officials announced that a Roseau County, Northwest Minnesota beef herd was infected with bovine TB. Since that time, more than 200,000 animals in Minnesota have been tested for the disease.

As of Oct. 31, 2006, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health announced that a cow from a farm in Beltrami County tested positive for the disease. The cow was from the seventh beef herd found to have bovine TB.

“This has already been a long road,” said Dr. Bill Hartmann, Minnesota state veterinarian, when the seventh herd announcement was made. “But no matter what it takes, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health is committed to working with Minnesota's cattle producers to eliminate all of this disease.”

During the 2005 hunting season, one white-tailed deer was found infected with bovine TB, and following the hunting season, an additional deer was found infected with the disease.
During 2006, five deer were harvested that are presumptive positive. All seven deer were located within about a five-mile radius of where the first infected cattle herd was found.

Source: Farm & Ranch Guide