Cattle

For a full list of reportable diseases for all animal species go to our Reportable Diseases Page

• Reportable Animal Disease Form - to be used for any reportable disease in any animal species
• Johne's Disease Reporting Form - to be used only for Johne's disease reporting

Cattle Entry Requirements can be found on our Animal Import Page 

Illinois has maintained bovine brucellosis-free status since 1992 and swine brucellosis-free status since 1984, enabling the state to repeal some industry testing requirements. Brucellosis is a contagious bacterial disease that may cause pregnant females to abort and animals of both sexes to become infertile. Brucellosis does not contaminate the meat from infected animals but may reduce milk yields in infected dairy cows. 

As a surveillance measure, the Illinois Department of Agriculture tests for brucellosis at slaughter facilities. Cattle sold through auction markets may also be subject to testing to ensure they are free of this disease before being introduced into a new herd. 

More Information: USDA National Brucellosis Eradication Program

Illinois has maintained bovine tuberculosis-free status since 1986, after 67 years of working toward eradication. As a preventative measure, cattle entering Illinois for exhibition from states with a high incidence of tuberculosis must test negative for the disease. To prevent transmission of tuberculosis from captive deer and elk to livestock, the Illinois Department of Agriculture requires deer and elk transported into the state to test negative for tuberculosis prior to entry. 

More Information: USDA National Tuberculosis Eradication Program

Johne's disease, or paratuberculosis, is a chronic disease in cattle, bison, cervids (deer and elk), sheep, and goats, marked by chronic, intermittent diarrhea that does not respond to treatment. 

Infection occurs with the ingestion of the Johne's bacteria through feed or water contaminated with feces, or from bacteria on the teat or udder of the dam. Trans-placental infection is also possible. Additionally, the bacteria can also be passed through colostrum or milk.

There is no cure for Johne's disease. 

Voluntary Paratuberculosis Certification and Risk Management Programs are available for producers through the Illinois Department of Agriculture. These programs enable producers to certify that their herds or flocks are monitored for Johne's Disease. 

Veterinarians who need to report Johne's disease to our office can find the reporting form at the top of this page.

More Information: USDA Johne's Disease Page

BSE, known as "mad cow disease," is a progressive and fatal neurologic disease of cattle. BSE belongs to a family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) caused by an abnormal prion protein. TSEs include scrapie in sheep and goats, chronic wasting disease in deer, elk, and moose, and classic and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans. 

BSE is not contagious. It occurs in two forms: classical (C-type), and atypical (L-type, and H-type). 

Symptoms are slowly progressing degeneration of the nervous system, which may include changes in temperament (nervousness or aggression), abnormal posture, incoordination, difficulty rising, decreased milk production, or loss of body condition with loss of appetite. Once symptoms occur, the animal either dies or is euthanized. 

There is no treatment or vaccine. 

BSE was first diagnosed in 1986 in the UK, which is also where most of the cases are identified worldwide, however, it has been detected in many other countries. Six cases were identified in the US from 2003-2012; one of those was the classical form that was imported from Canada, and the other 5 were the atypical form. 

BSE presents a public health concern because some human cases have been linked to the consumption of food that contains ingredients derived from BSE-infected cattle.

Several regulations have been put into place to prevent BSE in the US:

• In 1997 the FDA prohibited the feeding of most mammalian proteins to ruminants.
• In 1989, USDA APHIS prohibited the importation of ruminants and most ruminant products from countries that had identified BSE in native cattle. The ISDA maintains import regulations consistent with the World Organization of Animal Health (WOAH) guidelines for BSE. 
• In 2008, the ban was strengthened to include specified risk materials (SRMs), or the brain and spinal cord of animals 30 months of age or older.
• USDA FSIS maintains public health measures in coordination with the FDA. This includes the removal of SRMs from the human food supply and the banning of non-ambulatory cattle from the food chain.
• Surveillance programs in the US are focused on high-risk populations including cattle exhibiting neurologic symptoms, including non-ambulatory or recumbent animals that are 30 months of age or older. 

BSE is a reportable disease. Veterinarians and owners play a role in reporting suspect cases to the Illinois Department of Agriculture or the USDA IL District Office. Reportable disease information can be found at the top of this page. 

More Information: USDA BSE Page

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a reportable, severe, and highly contagious viral disease. This virus causes illness in cows, pigs, goats, sheep, deer, and other cloven-hooved animals, Horses, dogs, and cats are not affected. FMD is not a public health or food safety threat and is not related to hand, foot, and mouth disease, a childhood disease caused by a different virus. FMD has been eradicated in the US since 1929 but many countries continue to battle the disease. 

FMD is considered a foreign animal disease and if detected would require an immediate federal-state response to contain, control, and eradicate it. The Illinois Department of Agriculture continues to work with the federal government, industry stakeholders, and producers to prevent FMD.

Anyone working with these species should familiarize themselves with the symptoms associated with FMD:

• Fever
• Vesicles on the tongue, lips, in/around the mouth, on the mammary glands or hooves
• Difficulty walking/lameness
• Drooling
• Decreased weight gain
• Decreased milk production 

Disease images can be found on the Center for Food Security and Public Health FMD Page and more information on FMD can be found on the USDA Foot and Mouth Disease Page.

Immediately report animals with any of the above signs to the Illinois Department of Agriculture at (217)782-4944 or the USDA APHIS VS Illinois District Office at (217)547-6030.