Rancher says cattle producers under bovine TB quarantine need financial help
Rancher Brad Osadczuk says having his cattle quarantined for the last two months due to a bovine tuberculosis outbreak is hurting his business and his family — and he wants the federal government to step in with financial help.
Osadczuk’s learned on Sept. 22 that one of his cows had the contagious bacterial disease. Five other cattle linked to his herd have since tested positive for TB.
The case has led the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to quarantine 34 ranches in southeastern Alberta and two in Saskatchewan as it tries to determine the source of the TB and how far it has spread.
The problem for Osadczuk and other producers whose herds are under quarantine is they can’t sell or move any of their livestock and must continue feeding their cattle until the investigation is complete, something that could take months.