MONROE — Snohomish County Cattlemen’s Association president Jerry Labish has questions for the state veterinarian.
In general, Labish wants to know more about the outbreak of a deadly viral disease that killed about 20 cattle shown at the Puyallup Fair in September. Among those that died were three cows owned by an Arlington family.
In particular, the cattleman wants to find out why such an outbreak hasn’t happened before in the state. Or has it? Labish hopes to have his questions answered at a meeting Wednesday evening at the Monroe fairgrounds when state veterinarian Dr. Leonard Eldridge comes to speak to the local cattlemen’s association.
Eldridge plans to describe the viral disease, hand out safety recommendations and explain what happened in Puyallup.
“For us it was the perfect storm,” Eldridge said.
The veterinarian believes that lambs housed in the same fair barn as cattle likely spread ovine herpesvirus 2 through a cooling and ventilation system in the barn.
The virus is carried in the nasal secretions of immature sheep and it causes malignant catarrhal fever. Sheep are not affected by the disease, but there is no treatment for cattle and other susceptible animals including deer, bison and hogs. No human health concerns or food safety issues are related to the disease and cattle cannot spread the fever to other cows.
Sheep and cows have intermingled before, so Labish wants to know what was different in Puyallup.
Eldridge’s investigation concluded that most of the stalls of the animals that died were right underneath the ventilation exhaust fan in the middle of the barn. As the air was pushed up and out of the barn, virus particles were drawn up over the lambs and then dropped down onto the cattle, he said.
Mary Morcom of Arlington is eager to hear what Eldridge has to say.
Morcom’s daughters are members of the Arlington High School Future Farmers of America. The family showed nine of their 25 head of red Angus cattle herd at Puyallup in September. Three died from the disease later in the fall.
Puyallup Fair officials plan to make changes in the way animals are exhibited, starting with keeping cattle and sheep apart. Sheep and cattle at the Evergreen State Fair have had separate barns for many years.
“I am anxious to know how the state is going to improve its response to such an outbreak,” Morcom said. “I’m still afraid there are people out there who’ve had animals die and didn’t have enough money to have their vet come out to confirm the reason for their cow’s death.”
The Cattlemen’s Association is urging all families with FFA and 4-H livestock members to attend the Wednesday session.
“It should be a good informational meeting,” Labish said. “We need to stay on top of this issue and work to put people’s minds to rest.”
Morcom agreed.
“The last thing we want is to stop having animals exhibited at the state fairs,” she said.
Meet with the state veterinarian
The state veterinarian plans to talk about malignant catarrhal fever — a viral disease that can kill cows — at a meeting of the Snohomish County Cattlemen’s Association set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the longhouse behind the Evergreen State Fair offices, 14405 179th Ave. SE in Monroe.
FFA and 4-H families throughout the county are encouraged to attend.
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