Western states invite feds to brucellosis meeting State veterinarians from Wyoming, Montana and Idaho plan to meet next week in Denver to discuss brucellosis and their concerns over federal rules for handling the livestock disease. Wyoming state veterinarian Walter Cook said the states will confer on how they'd like to see USDA's Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service change its rules for brucellosis, a bacterial infection that can cause pregnant cows to abort their calves. The meeting, set for Wednesday and Thursday, comes as Wyoming investigates the possibility of a second brucellosis-infected herd within its borders this summer. If a second case is confirmed, the state would likely lose its federal brucellosis-free status. Cook said he would like to see APHIS change at least two of its brucellosis rules. One is the requirement that a rancher with an infected herd must slaughter the herd for his state to maintain its brucellosis-free status. The second is the provision that a state loses its brucellosis-free status if two infected herds are discovered within two years, regardless whether the animals are slaughtered....