Market Farming

["Rick Williams" <mrfarm AT frontiernet.net>]

Jay Gee wrote:
> Brucellosis is very very rare.  Although there may be
> a couple of documented cases of humans becoming
> infected through contact with wild animals, the vast
> majority of cases occur in farmers working with their
> own domesticated herds.

Brucellosis is rare in domestic animals but apparently quite common in wild
ones. I was surprised at the infection rates of the YNP buffs of 50%.
Historically, people got the bacteria from drinking milk from infected
bovines, or from casual contact with the animals, particularly in
processing. Hunters have been infected since they are handling the meat and
in direct contact.

Getting the disease, which of course is the same thing as Bang's Disease or
in humans was called Undulant Fever, it was no fun. As a worldwide disease,
it is considered a major source of infection for humans and domesticated
animals which can lead to sterility and abortions with pregnant livestock
(including bison). Also, some wasting due to loss of appetite and fatigue
since you get flu kind of illness.

> As I understand it, bison are what might be described
> as carriers of the brucella bacterium.  From what I have
> read, they are not affected in the same way that cattle
> are (although I may be mistaken on this point).

The other problem for buffs is that they can get crippling arthritis from my
understanding  of how it specifically targets them.

> If wild bison have been infected thanks to domesticated
> cattle, maybe the cattle herds near Yellowstone should
> be destroyed and not the other way around.

It is probably impossible to ever prove it one way or another. The main
decision would have to be made by the value placed on the animals. It could
be very expensive to take tax payer money and buy out the cattle ranches.
They already have a sizeable buffer around YNP as it is. You could not stop
cattle ranching from existing ranches without recompense due to the Bill of
Rights. But you could use emminent domain to force the existing ranches to
sell out with due process. Even then how large would the buffer be? Like
most things have to be in life, it is a trade off.

Sincerely,

Rick Williams
Misty Ridge Farm
Dairy heifers and dairy beef graziers
Viroqua, WI

www.mistyridgefarm.com