134 heifers catch deadly virus from ranch wildebeests

[flounder]

April 19, 2008, 9:28PM
134 heifers catch deadly virus from ranch wildebeests
Infected cattle, which were sold to several states, will be destroyed


By LINDA STEWART BALL
Associated Press

DALLAS — About 130 cows grazing on a Texas ranch became infected with a deadly virus that's carried only by wildebeests but not harmful to humans, agricultural officials said Friday.

The wildebeests, native to Africa, were on an undisclosed private Texas ranch that holds various wild animals.

Although the wildebeests' fate is not known, the cattle they infected will be destroyed and their owners compensated, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials said.

The Texas cattle — 134 breeding heifers — were recently sold and shipped to Illinois, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and other parts of Texas, where two of them died.

One died on a Louisiana farm, which was put under temporary quarantine, Louisiana State Veterinarian Henry Moreau said.

He said he did not think Louisiana cattle were in any danger.

On Thursday, test results from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, confirmed that the cows were diagnosed with wildebeest-associated malignant catarrhal fever.

Officials stressed that the virus is not a contagious disease in cattle and poses no threat to people.

"We don't want people getting nervous about this," said Bryan Black, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Agriculture. "It is not a human health threat whatsoever."

Wildebeests carry the virus, which can become airborne.

Animal health investigators speculate that although the cattle and wildebeests were in separate pastures, they might have gathered near an adjoining fence line, Black said.


http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5714840.html


> Wildebeests carry the virus, which can become airborne


disturbing, to say the least. ...TSS

[PORKER]

Well ,Could they do a traceback in seconds including the truckers that hauled them?

http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/malignant_catarrhal_fever.pdf

http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/ImageDB/imagesMCF.htm

[Mike]

[flounder]

[QUESTION]

Could someone tell these rocket surgeons to quit playing with fire and gas before they invent another plague. Exposing bovines to a Herpes viridae carried by another species. This family of viral infections has already jumped species in other instances. For example it has mutated from an animal to a human disease it is known as SARS. As well sheep carry a differnt strain of MCF. Hopefully this stupidity stops before it mutates afteall these herpes infections tend to be fatal with no cure or vaccine.