The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced an investigation after bovine TB was found in a Saskatchewan cow. The infected animal was slaughtered in Alberta, where tests confirmed the disease.
Bovine TB is a rare disease in Canada, spread through contact or unpasteurized products.
Since 1923, Canada has worked to eradicate bovine TB, and had been infection-free from cattle since 2006.
The cow, aged six, tested positive on November 29, 2024, leading to the tracing back to a farm in Saskatchewan. The farm is now under quarantine for further testing on other animals to prevent disease spread.
The CFIA further said that they are tracing other herds and in the process of identifying the strain for containment, and that affected farmers may receive compensation to manage the disease’s impact.
Bovine TB poses minimal human health risk, thanks to pasteurization and slaughterhouse surveillance.
