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FRANKFORT,
Ky. — Kentucky has lifted a ban on animals from Texas
now that the Lone Star State is free of vesicular stomatitis,
Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has announced.
Livestock,
wild and exotic animals from western and southern Texas
had been prohibited from entering the state after vesicular
stomatitis was identified in that region in May. Texas
no longer has any active cases of the disease, according
to Kentucky State Veterinarian Robert C. Stout.
"Kentucky's
system for protecting our animals from disease worked
very well in this case," Commissioner Farmer said.
"Dr. Stout and his staff are to be commended. I
also want to thank Governor Ernie Fletcher for acting
to protect the state in a way that was fair to livestock
and equine producers."
Commissioner
Farmer banned all animals from Texas from entering Kentucky
after the disease was discovered, which was required
by state regulations that existed at the time. Governor
Fletcher later issued an emergency regulation that banned
animals from the affected region of Texas while allowing
those from the rest of the state to enter Kentucky.
Kentucky's
ban on animals from Colorado and New Mexico remains
in place. Stout said those states still have vesicular
stomatitis infestations. Animals from states that border
Colorado and New Mexico must be examined during the
five-day period prior to arrival in Kentucky and must
be certified as having not originated from a premise
or area under quarantine for vesicular stomatitis or
a state in which the disease has been diagnosed within
the previous 30 days. Equine from states that border
Colorado and New Mexico must have a negative vesicular
stomatitis test from a sample taken no more than 10
days before the animal enters Kentucky.
Vesicular
stomatitis is a viral disease that occurs sporadically
in the U.S., usually in southwestern states. The disease
can affect horses, cattle and swine, and occasionally
sheep, goats and deer. It causes blisters to form in
the animal's mouth, on teats or along the hooves, resulting
in excessive salivation, lameness or oozing sores. It
is rarely fatal and usually lasts about two weeks.
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