Brucellosis
At slaughter in November 2003, several Wyoming cattle tested positive for brucellosis. By December of that year, the case was confirmed and 31 animals had been identified on the suspected ranch. The United States Department of Agriculture officially designated the herd as “infected” December 29, 2003. An additional six of 12 cows traced from the index herd to a Worland feed lot were found to be reactors. These 12 animals had passed through a sale yard that did not voluntarily test for brucellosis. Despite common origin, the US Department of Agriculture designated these animals as a second infected herd. As a result, other states were notified and Wyoming lost its Class-Free brucellosis status in February 2004. It was later determined that the cases originated in free-ranging elk and was transmitted to cattle.
Due to the ongoing challenge of having a wildlife reservoir of brucellosis in the face of a domestic cattle eradication program, Governor Freudenthal established the Wyoming Brucellosis Coordinating Team to study and make recommendations about brucellosis in Wyoming. The team consisted of 19 members and an additional 10 technical advisors.
The team developed 28 recommendations and submitted them to the governor and the Legislature January 11, 2005. The team felt that the top recommendation to come from this effort has been to develop individual Brucellosis Action Management Plans for each elk herd unit that contains winter feed grounds. Local ranchers were also encouraged to develop their own Brucellosis Management Plans. This idea received broad support and a pilot management plan was developed. Currently, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is scheduled to complete formulating management plans by July, 2007.
Wyoming's brucellosis Class-free status was returned in August, 2006 and officially presented in December, 2006. The State of Wyoming has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on the responsibilities of each party now that Wyoming's Class-free status has been returned. The terms of a tri-state agreement between Wyoming, Montana and Idaho (GYIBC MOU) are also currently being negotiated.