This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Although the BLM round-up of Cliven Bundy's cattle has ended (at least for the present), I assume that the Washington County Commissioners' (Gardner and Eardley) "unanimously passed resolution. . . that the feral cattle that could potentially be herded along with Bundy cattle could be of strong consequence to Utah ranchers livestock," is a valid argument to have all cattle being trucked into Utah inspected at the entry station into Utah to make certain that the Utah's livestock are free from diseases which has human health and devastating economic risks to ranchers.
I remember the concern of my grandfather and father for vaccinating cattle for Brucellosis. Brucellosis is caused by infection with the bacterium Brucella abortus, which can also cause a disease of humans known as undulant fever. Brucellosis infection of cattle causes abortion or premature calving of recently infected animals, which could have a devastating effect on Utah's cattle and dairy industry.
My hat is off to the Washington County Commissioners for protecting our farmers, ranchers and citizens by appropriating funding for cattle inspection and certification at state borders. I trust that this wasn't simply a ruse to further a self-serving political agenda, as some have suggested.
Glenn Wilde
St. George