Vigilance, containment key to healthy herds

Colorado cattle producers are on high alert as a viral cattle disease marches across the region.

Texas, Arizona and New Mexico officials are currently grappling with vesicular stomatitis, a viral disease that is usually not fatal but causes painful lesions around an infected animal’s mouth, nostrils, teats and hooves. These blisters enlarge and break, leaving painful raw tissue and infected animals generally refuse to eat or drink. The disease is significant because it closely resembles foot-and-mouth disease. An infected animal usually returns to normal within 10 days.

It is unclear how the disease is transmitted, but Colorado Veterinarian Wayne Cunningham…