A farm in northwest Minnesota is under quarantine after Anthrax was detected in multiple cattle and a horse.
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health says the cases were reported in Kittson County and that it's the state's first anthrax case in animals in over a decade.
“One of the reasons we don’t see a lot of anthrax cases in the state anymore is because we have proactive measures to protect livestock like vaccinations,” said Dr. Katie Cornille, who oversees the Board’s bovine programs. “With this detection in Kittson County, livestock producers who graze their animals on pasture in and around the county should talk to their veterinarian about vaccinating their animals if they aren’t already.”
Anthrax occurs periodically in Minnesota livestock and was last confirmed in June 2013 in a Pennington County cow. All suspected cases of anthrax in Minnesota animals must be reported to the Board of Animal Health immediately. Reporting cases to the Board ensures proper disposal of the carcass to prevent spreading the spores.
Anthrax in animals is not a risk to the public and can emerge following rainstorms, flooding, or excavation. Animal health experts say most animals die before showing signs of the disease and that it's been concentrated to northwest Minnesota in the past.
The Board's reminding livestock owners to keep animals up to date on anthrax vaccinations.