Nearly 80 beef cattle died in Wyoming due to a natural occurrence of anthrax, a bacterial pathogen that can survive in the soil for years or even decades and then spark sporadic outbreaks, often when heavy rains follow periods of drought, according to the Wyoming Livestock Board.
The Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory confirmed the detections in several beef herds in Carbon County. It was the first time since the 1970s that anthrax had been detected in the state.
In an interview, Wyoming State Veterinarian Hallie Hasel said cattle within a six-mile radius are in the process of being vaccinated.
Wyoming Department of Health epidemiologist Courtney Tillman said at a public meeting in Carbon County that the risk of getting anthrax from environmental exposure is miniscule.
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The risk of cattle-to-human transmission is also low, provided dead cattle are properly disposed of by people using personal protective equipment, Hasel said.
“We ask that people take precautions if they're actually moving carcasses. The No. 1 recommendation is do not cut open a carcass that has died from a suspected anthrax because that's when you can release the bacterial spores,” she said.
South Dakota also confirmed anthrax in a beef herd in Meade County last month after a similar occurrence in Ziebach County in 2023. “Herd vaccination, a quick response, and veterinary oversight limited the number of affected cattle to one calf in a herd of approximately 60 pairs,” the state vet’s office said.
North Dakota reported anthrax cases in cattle last year, and Texas has had frequent occurrences over the years, particularly in what is known as the “anthrax triangle” between Eagle Pass, Uvalde, and Ozona.
