Wyoming investigates another brucellosis herd CHEYENNE, WY (wpr) - Livestock officials have launched an investigation into the possibility of a second Wyoming cow testing positive for brucellosis.

State veterinarian Walter Cook said today that officials have preliminarily traced the recent detection of an infected cow at a Nebraska slaughterhouse to a herd in Sublette County of western Wyoming.

Cook says the herd will be tested to determine if other cattle are infected with the disease, which can cause pregnant cows to abort their calves.

If an infection is confirmed, the U.S. Department of Agriculture would likely revoke Wyoming's brucellosis-free status because of the discovery of two infected herds within two years.

The disease reappeared in Wyoming in June when two cows from a Daniel-area ranch in Sublette County tested positive for the infection. Cook says he learned late last week that Daniel-area rancher had decided to slaughter his herd. © Copyright 2009, wpr