Backgrounder - Canadian Food Inspection Agency Bovine Tuberculosis Surveillance in the Riding Mountain Eradication Area

As of December 2012, a coordinator was appointed to lead the bovine tuberculosis (TB) eradication efforts in and around Riding Mountain National Park.

Although progress has been made in managing bovine TB in Riding Mountain in recent years, the disease continues to be endemic in wild deer and elk, posing significant challenges for livestock producers in the area. Many producers are required to have their herds tested for TB periodically, in order to protect animal health and maintain market access.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) works closely with livestock producers, the livestock industry, and federal and provincial partners to conduct bovine TB surveillance in livestock in the Riding Mountain Eradication Area (RMEA).

Bovine TB surveillance is a key component in Canada’s efforts to eradicate the disease. The prevalence of bovine TB in Canada, including the RMEA, is extremely low. However, livestock herds in the RMEA are considered to be at higher risk because of the presence of the disease in wildlife in the area.

In response, the CFIA performs surveillance testing of livestock herds in the area. Testing is most frequent for herds located in higher risk areas or in areas that have had positives in previous years and less frequent for herds located in lower-risk areas of the RMEA.

The table below shows the approximate number of animals and herds tested for bovine TB in the RMEA between 2000 and 2013. The CFIA pays for the costs associated with conducting this testing, while cattle owners are responsible for presenting cattle for testing.

Testing Years	Approximate Number of Animals Tested for TB	Approximate Number of Herds Tested for TB
2000-2003	50,000	625
2003-2004	22,000	300
2004-2005	34,000	406
2005-2006	36,700	392
2006-2007	7,156	58
2007-2008	18,207	227
2008-2009	11,429	116
2009-2010	15,190	160
2010-2011	18,214	204
2011-2012	7,523	79
**2012-2013	3,400	26

**2012-2013 testing is to occur between September 2012 and April 2013.

Because of this ongoing surveillance, the RMEA, along with the rest of the province, has been able to maintain a bovine tuberculosis-free status since 2006.

The most recent case of bovine TB detected in livestock in the RMEA was in May 2008. Prior to that, the disease was detected in livestock in the RMEA in 2003.

What happens if TB is detected?

Bovine tuberculosis is a reportable disease in Canada. All susceptible domestic animals that are determined to have been exposed to bovine TB are ordered destroyed with compensation paid to the owner in accordance with the Health of Animals Act.

Working together in partnership for Canadians

The health of Canadian livestock is a responsibility shared by individual owners, the industry as a whole, and governments. All stakeholders recognize that surveillance is an important component in determining the disease status of herds in the area. Surveillance is used to detect the presence of disease in both domestic and wildlife species, which then allows for procedures to be implemented preventing the spread of the disease.