Why is TB in cattle a problem?

Answer 1

TB affects the digestive system which makes animals eat less and gain less. TB can also affect the lungs, reproductive organs, lymph nodes, and central nervous system. The cost of treatment of TB in cattle is too costly and impractical, plus TB is very contagious so animals must be quarantined. All cattle that are tested positive for Tuberculosis and any other animals that came in contact with that TB-positive animal either directly or indirectly must all be humanely euthanized. Usually this involves having the WHOLE herd euthanized. That is why TB is a huge problem.

Answer 2

Currently in the United States TB (tuberculosis, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis or Mycobacterium tuberculosis) is not a major problem - the prevalence is significantly under 1% of all animals in the US. However, cattle used to be a major reservoir for TB that would infect humans, so in the early 1900s a federal eradication program was started to rid the US of the bacteria. The program was wildly successful in reducing the prevalence to the point that today the most common source of TB infection in humans is other humans.

However, TB is still present in the US cattle herd and it is a federally regulated disease. Cattle that are in an area known to still have some TB must be tested prior to being shipped out of that area, which incurs an expense on the producer. More importantly, cattle that are slaughtered in the US are inspected at the slaughter plant by federal employees for signs of TB. Any lesion found that could be TB is sent to a federal lab for evaluation. If the lab results are positive for TB, the carcass must either be condemned to rendering (which will kill the bacteria) or must be cooked sufficient to kill the bacteria. As most plants no longer have the ability to cook the meat from the carcass, they will often choose to condemn the carcass which cuts into the plant's profits.

Answer 3

yes