Not sure how crucial this program is to the agricultural lifestyle in Nebraska? Read a few real-life examples of disease issues and how Locate In 48 can help.
Tuberculosis from Colorado
In November of 2006, two bulls had direct fenceline contact with an animal infected with tuberculosis in Colorado. After exposure to the disease, the bulls were sold through an auction market in Colorado. One week later they were resold through another auction market. The new owner brought the bulls to Nebraska with a purchase sheet listing them as steers. The bulls were then sold through yet another auction market in Wyoming two weeks later. The final owner brought them back to Nebraska and put them in a feedlot where they were held until slaughter.
In total the bulls changed ownership four times, went through three sale barns in three states, and traveled approximately 1,000 miles from farm of origin to final destination.
When it was discovered that the original infected animal had tuberculosis, the search began for these two bulls. The trace took four months and 30 man hours to complete, directly involving three people from three states and indirectly involving several others.
Both bulls were branded but did not have any individual ID or ear tags. Trace was confirmed using auction market receipts, brand inspection records, and feedlot records.
This tuberculosis case could have been handled much more efficiently with the Locate In 48 system in place, saving time and money.
Tracing Disease Without a Tracking System
On August 1, 2005, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture was notified of a disease situation by the state of Minnesota. While tracing a tuberculosis-infected herd, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture discovered that 21 head of these cattle had been integrated into 12 Nebraska herds.
Nebraska invested five employees in the trace because of the magnitude of the problem. The two veterinarians and three inspectors logged an average of 98 hours of time each and tested more than 2,750 cattle. This widespread testing was necessary because the 21 infected animals that came to Nebraska were not individually identified or located.
Herds were held in quarantine until exposed animals were harvested or until the entire herd had been tested, and the total cost to complete this trace was nearly $20,000.
Had this been a contagious disease, the amount of time, lack of records, and lack of positive animal identification could have been disastrous for the cattle industry.
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