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Cases of bovine tuberculosis increase in Saskatchewan

Feb 28, 2025 | 11:20 AM

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has widened its investigation of bovine tuberculous.

In late November, an unidentified cattle herd in Saskatchewan was quarantined after a six-year-old cow sent to slaughter in Alberta tested positive for bovine TB. Three positive cases were found as a result of that investigation, but all were born outside of the current herd.

The first herd will be euthanized, and the producer will be compensated.

Dr. Stephanie Smith is Saskatchewan’s Chief Veterinary Officer. She is not directly involved in the bovine TB investigation but receives updates from the CFIA.

“Essentially, what CFIA needs to do now is do their best to track back where this disease could have come from and where it could have spread over the past several years, and then track those animals down,” Smith said. “Obviously we want to maintain our disease-free status. We don’t want to have any impact on trade, and they have to do their due diligence investigation there.”

Bovine TB is a slow progressing disease and that’s one of the challenges in doing an extensive traceback. Smith said it will likely be a lengthy investigation.

“There are many months to years just because of the number of herds involved, the time it takes to look back, find the records, and confirm tag numbers,” she said. “The testing itself takes quite a bit of time. Just the reality of the diagnostic tests, none of this is quick. The disease itself is slow moving and it takes time, just like it does for the investigation, unfortunately.”

This is Saskatchewan’s second recent brush with bovine TB.

A 2023 investigation found three positive cases. CFIA said this strain of bovine TB is unknown and not related to any recent strains in Western Canada. Smith said CFIA informed her there is no link between this detection back to the 2023 investigation, nor is there any link to any of the currently known strains within North America both on the wildlife side as well as on the domestic animal side or the human side.

“So basically, it’s telling us it’s unique. That’s the same position we were in back in the 2023 investigation as folks will recall,” she said. “As well we understand from CFIA that actually over the last 20 years when we’ve had the odd outbreak, we haven’t seen any clear source in any of those cases. This is not an abnormal thing to go through an investigation and not find a source.”

Smith said her office is working with provincial cattle organizations and has prepared a list of stress and mental health resources for producers who may become involved in a traceback investigation.

alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

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