Associated Press Writer

By DALE WETZELBy DALE WETZEL

A dairy business may move 1,600 cows into southeastern North Dakota without testing them again for bovine tuberculosis, the state Board of Animal Health decided.

MCC Dairy, based in Veblen, S.D., applied in March to move the animals, but its plans stalled when tests of the animals showed two possible cases of tuberculosis. The cows were slaughtered, and further tests confirmed they did not have the disease.

The dairy is reopening a defunct Milnor business, called the Five Star Dairy, in Sargent County in North Dakota's southeastern corner. It intends to run a 1,600-cow dairy operation there, said Rick Millner, general manager of MCC Dairy.

When the dairy acquires its animals, it tests them for tuberculosis, Millner said. They are part of a herd that moves between MCC's South Dakota location and three dairies in Minnesota. MCC's dairy network has about 6,500 cows.

During a Board of Animal Health telephone conference call meeting Tuesday, Millner argued that MCC Dairy should not have to test its cows for tuberculosis again before moving them to North Dakota.

Except when the herd needs to expand, there are enough calves born to replace milking cows without buying outside heifers, Millner said. All acquired livestock are tested for tuberculosis in any case.

"The risk here, in my belief, is substantially less," Millner said. "Our cattle are completely held within our organization. They're not dispersed throughout the commerce of any of these other states, and so it is kind of a unique situation."

Susan Keller, North Dakota's state veterinarian, said she agreed more testing was not necessary in MCC Dairy's case.

"We have to look at the bigger picture also, and I don't think we can ask more of the MCC Dairy than we would of other large dairies," Keller said. "I'm not saying that we have zero risk with any animals that move into the state when it comes to tuberculosis … but this gives us some degree of comfort."

The board's decision means MCC Dairy will not have to test its cows for tuberculosis when they are shipped among South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota, as long as they stay within the dairy network's facilities.

Bovine tuberculosis is a contagious lung bacteria. Cattle spread the illness among themselves by snorting and coughing, and by sharing sources of water and feed. Milk pasteurization kills tuberculosis bacteria.

Thomas Moss, an assistant North Dakota state veterinarian, said he had gathered "fairly complete" information about MCC Dairy's sources for dairy heifers. "During my investigation, I saw no red flags," he said.

Moss said there has been no link between any dairy cows and a beef herd that tested positive for bovine tuberculosis in Roseau County, Minn., in July. Roseau County is on the Canadian border in northwestern Minnesota.

"We can rest assured there's no threat from the TB-positive herd in Minnesota," Moss said.