Nebraska ag officials say all bovine TB quarantines could be lifted by spring

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Nebraska’s bovine TB scare nearly over

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska agriculture officials expect that by spring, no more cattle herds in the state will be quarantined because no new cases of bovine tuberculosis were found in the monthslong investigation that’s nearly done.

Nebraska Agriculture Director Greg Ibach said Tuesday that a “very small” number of cattle remain to be tested for the disease, and that eight herds now quarantined in seven counties will likely be free of the quarantine by spring.

At one point earlier this year, 58 herds, mostly in north-central and northeastern Nebraska, were quarantined.

The action was taken after there were two positive tuberculosis cases in a Rock County herd last spring.

Tests on about 20,000 cattle since then have not turned up any additional positive cases.