Authorities confirmed a case of anthrax in a beef cow in Barnes County in South east North Dakota this week. State Veterinarian Dr. Susan Keller says the owner of the dead cow worked closely with his local vet in dealing with the problem. She says this year’s wet conditions likely contributed to anthrax popping up.
Keller advises producers to work with their local vets and make sure they vaccinate their animals if they’re in an area that’s likely to have the disease.
Keller says anthrax isn’t contagious and doesn’t get passed from animal to animal but it can show up in spores in water. She says if a producer vaccinates it takes about a week for the immunity to take hold.