The Montana Department of Livestock is close to wrapping up their public meetings to discuss potential Official Calfhood Vaccination, or OCV, for brucellosis in the state.  At the meeting yesterday at the Public Auction Yards in Billings, State Veterinarian Dr. Marty Zaluski stressed that this is just a proposal and a starting place for discussion.

First off, before they make any sort of vaccination mandatory, Dr. Zaluski wants to know if the potential benefits for producers are worth the cost and the effort. 

Following the meeting, Montana Stockgrowers Association President Tom Hougen answered that question.

Tom expressed that the only place he supports mandatory vaccination rules is within the Designated Surveillance Area.

By the sounds of it, that meeting yesterday was relatively calm compared to some of the others.  Christian Mackay, Executive Officer for the Montana Department of Livestock was met with resistance at the first meeting in Glasgow.

Scott Cassel, an area rancher, sat in on the first meeting at the Glasgow Stockyards last week.  He reiterated that there is no sense in vaccinating anything that is bound for a food chain.

Scott shared a common concern.  This is that there won’t be enough vets to perform all of the vaccination in the timeframe that is needed.

After a show of hands in Glasgow, he says that there was some support for a program requiring vaccination of any heifers going back in to the breeding herd.

Dr. Marty Zaluski joined Russell Nemetz on the Noon News Tuesday.

The input that they get at all of these meetings is being documented as well as comments they receive.  The Board of Livestock plans to look at those suggestions to decide where to go from here.  Two more public meetings remain.  One will be in Three Forks at the Headwaters Livestock Auction at 1 p.m. Thursday.  The last will be at Lewistown Livestock next week.

CLICK HERE to read the preliminary proposal for the OCV rule.