| Yellowstone Bison Slaughter
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| News
Article 2/05/05 |
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State
plans to vaccinate bison
By Becky Bohrer
Associated Press, Billings Gazette
2/05/05 |
The
Montana Department of Livestock plans to vaccinate some
bison that enter the state from Yellowstone National Park,
possibly beginning this winter, in an effort to reduce
the potential spread of the cattle disease brucellosis.
The decision, announced Friday, will apply to calves and
yearlings that leave the park's western border and are
captured under an existing state-federal bison management
plan, state veterinarian Tom Linfield said.
Brucellosis can cause cows to abort. In humans, it is
known as undulant fever. It is known to infect Yellowstone's
bison herds, though the extent of infection is debated.
Officials said the idea is to help reduce the spread of
brucellosis among the bison and the potential risk of
transmission to cattle. But bison activists question the
plan and the efficacy of the vaccine officials plan to
use.
"It seems the only way the state wants them is if
we domesticate them," said Mike Mease of the Buffalo
Field Campaign. "It seems our state wants to do everything
it can to domesticate them."
Some park bison have already been vaccinated; federal
officials began vaccinating near the park's northern border
last winter, and a park spokeswoman said that effort would
continue.
But this is the first time that Montana has planned to
vaccinate some bison that leave the park in search of
winter forage.
The current interagency bison management plan allows for
hazing and capture of wandering bison and for testing
of the animals for brucellosis.
Bison testing positive are sent to slaughter.
The department said Friday that bison to be vaccinated
would include calves and yearlings captured in those efforts
and testing negative for brucellosis.
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