Post by Dusty on Jun 30, 2018 20:19:45 GMT -5
We have been milking cows 45 years. We have always tested our cattle. Q fever is a new test, and we began testing all our cows annually.
We recently looked at two cows to purchase. We had a two week provision because it takes about 2 weeks for the turn around. I use UBRL and API.
All the tests came back negative EXCEPT Q fever. The values on the two cows were 140%OD and 119%OD.
Can someone explain exactly what that means?
We have never had a cow test positive, these are our first. Reading up on it we see it is highly contagious. That alone caused us to call the seller and return the cows. (circumstances made it impossible to leave the cattle at sellers and we have a good quarantine)
What I read says it is a huge big deal. The seller considers it no big deal and told us they will immediately put them back up for sale.
I actually can't find anything that says it is no big deal; yet entero's were telling her that all herds in the US have Q fever, and it is NOT contagious to humans through the milk! Exactly opposite what I have read.
My daughter is immune compromised. I am afraid to test her because if she DOES have it will the health dept come after us and shut down OUR herd, even though none of our cows have it? I can see it being a huge mess; and since the cows were on our property the seller is saying the cows belonged to US when tested. The lab is saying that we need to retest in 10 to 15 days; but when I called the lab tech he said basically they didn't need to as the numbers were so high that they will test positive again. I explained that they were cows we were testing to see if we wanted to buy.
So, are we liable to test again? In CA does the lab have to "turn us in" as in other states when they find a positive cow?
anyone experience with the disease as a human? RAWMI does not require a test for Q fever, but in good conscience we could not sell milk that we knew could be infective to people. I have read that it is usually found in folks that milk the cows. The bacteria is shed in birth fluids and aerosols around the cows themselves.
We have told the sellers (good friends) that we will not tell anyone about there cows testing positive. I will mention NO NAMES here.
We recently looked at two cows to purchase. We had a two week provision because it takes about 2 weeks for the turn around. I use UBRL and API.
All the tests came back negative EXCEPT Q fever. The values on the two cows were 140%OD and 119%OD.
Can someone explain exactly what that means?
We have never had a cow test positive, these are our first. Reading up on it we see it is highly contagious. That alone caused us to call the seller and return the cows. (circumstances made it impossible to leave the cattle at sellers and we have a good quarantine)
What I read says it is a huge big deal. The seller considers it no big deal and told us they will immediately put them back up for sale.
I actually can't find anything that says it is no big deal; yet entero's were telling her that all herds in the US have Q fever, and it is NOT contagious to humans through the milk! Exactly opposite what I have read.
My daughter is immune compromised. I am afraid to test her because if she DOES have it will the health dept come after us and shut down OUR herd, even though none of our cows have it? I can see it being a huge mess; and since the cows were on our property the seller is saying the cows belonged to US when tested. The lab is saying that we need to retest in 10 to 15 days; but when I called the lab tech he said basically they didn't need to as the numbers were so high that they will test positive again. I explained that they were cows we were testing to see if we wanted to buy.
So, are we liable to test again? In CA does the lab have to "turn us in" as in other states when they find a positive cow?
anyone experience with the disease as a human? RAWMI does not require a test for Q fever, but in good conscience we could not sell milk that we knew could be infective to people. I have read that it is usually found in folks that milk the cows. The bacteria is shed in birth fluids and aerosols around the cows themselves.
We have told the sellers (good friends) that we will not tell anyone about there cows testing positive. I will mention NO NAMES here.