Paperwork blamed for misdirected Canadian cattle

A Pacific Northwest beef processor says a paperwork error resulted in a herd of 402 cattle imported from Canada being incorrectly shipped to a Washington ranch without being tested for disease. According to Agri Beef Co., documentation related to 198 spayed heifers and 204 steers incorrectly stated the destination to be the Agri Beef-owned El Oro feedlot in Moses Lake, Wash., rather than the ranch near Northport, Wash., where they currently are. State regulations don't require the testing of cattle headed directly for a feedlot. Agri Beef Executive Vice President Rick Stott told the Capital Press the Boise, Idaho-based company is working with the Washington State Department of Agriculture to resolve the issue. The cattle should have been tested for bovine tuberculosis and were not, Stott said. They have been isolated by the rancher who has the cattle. He will bring them to a quarantined feedlot area for testing, escorted by representatives of the WSDA. "All of those cattle are electronically, individually ID'd," Stott said. "The fact we have individual electronic identification tags provides the highest level of integrity that every one of those animals will be accounted for and tested." Brucellosis testing is not required for spayed heifers, according to an Agri Beef press release. In the meantime, a U.S. cattle producer organization has asked the USDA to investigate the processor, alleging anticompetitive practices. R-CALF USA Chief Executive Officer Bill Bullard sent a memo to the USDA Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration. In it, he claimed Agri Beef's cattle commingled with domestic cattle owned by U.S. ranchers who lawfully grazed their cattle...CapitalPress