News
Sports
Program diseases such as brucellosis and tuberculosis continue to have an impact on many states and also affect the ability to efficiently move livestock between states.
For example, Montana recently confirmed a second herd with brucellosis causing their eventual loss of free state status. At this time, six states have either lost or have potential to lose their free state status for either brucellosis or tuberculosis. In 2007, Colorado had one herd infected with tuberculosis that was subsequently depopulated. Because only one herd was involved, Colorado retained its tuberculosis-free status.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture will remain vigilant in requiring science based vaccination and disease testing entry requirements in order to protect Colorado's breeding herd and producers.
In the past, a system was in place to allow the import of feeder cattle from states with lesser disease status into Colorado to be retained in certain designated feedlots and then required that these cattle be moved directly to slaughter. Disease risk in confined feeding operations can be managed such that the risk of spread to Colorado's breeding herd and livestock producers is extremely low or even non-existent.
The potential for livestock disease entry into Colorado can be adequately mitigated and controlled through appropriate import requirements that require individual animal identification that denotes the state of origin, requires livestock remain in feedlots and exit only directly to slaughter, and require that livestock feeding operations maintain appropriate records of the livestock they feed.
The department intends to advertise an emergency rule to define the specific requirements by which livestock feeding operations could import cattle into approved feedlots where the sole disposition will be slaughter. The emergency rule becomes active this month. A permanent rule will be filed for comments or questions by Aug. 25. To view the emergency rule, go to colorado.gov/ag and then click on "Approved Feedlot Rule."
By operating within an approved feedlot system, the economic viability of the cattle feeding operations in Colorado can be maintained with reasonable and effective import requirements that allow cattle feeders the ability to compete with other feeding operations in other states and also protect the breeding and producer industries in Colorado.
For example, Montana recently confirmed a second herd with brucellosis causing their eventual loss of free state status. At this time, six states have either lost or have potential to lose their free state status for either brucellosis or tuberculosis. In 2007, Colorado had one herd infected with tuberculosis that was subsequently depopulated. Because only one herd was involved, Colorado retained its tuberculosis-free status.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture will remain vigilant in requiring science based vaccination and disease testing entry requirements in order to protect Colorado's breeding herd and producers.
In the past, a system was in place to allow the import of feeder cattle from states with lesser disease status into Colorado to be retained in certain designated feedlots and then required that these cattle be moved directly to slaughter. Disease risk in confined feeding operations can be managed such that the risk of spread to Colorado's breeding herd and livestock producers is extremely low or even non-existent.
The potential for livestock disease entry into Colorado can be adequately mitigated and controlled through appropriate import requirements that require individual animal identification that denotes the state of origin, requires livestock remain in feedlots and exit only directly to slaughter, and require that livestock feeding operations maintain appropriate records of the livestock they feed.
The department intends to advertise an emergency rule to define the specific requirements by which livestock feeding operations could import cattle into approved feedlots where the sole disposition will be slaughter. The emergency rule becomes active this month. A permanent rule will be filed for comments or questions by Aug. 25. To view the emergency rule, go to colorado.gov/ag and then click on "Approved Feedlot Rule."
By operating within an approved feedlot system, the economic viability of the cattle feeding operations in Colorado can be maintained with reasonable and effective import requirements that allow cattle feeders the ability to compete with other feeding operations in other states and also protect the breeding and producer industries in Colorado.
