Bison Babies Play Role In Brucellosis Research

A lot of bison babies are being born at a wildlife research center, and they will play a part in the effort to eradicate brucellosis in buffalo in Yellowstone National Park.

Thirty-six pregnant bison were shipped from the park to the Wildlife Health Laboratory at Caldwell. Now they’re starting to give birth to calves weighing 30-40 pounds.

During the last winter, more than 1,000 buffalo left Yellowstone Park in search of better winter range, and all were either slaughtered or captured. Montana ranchers feel that the buffalo might transmit brucellosis to domestic livestock. Scientists estimate that at least half of the Yellowstone bison carry the disease, which causes livestock and some wildlife to abort their fetuses.

A stringent eradication program by the federal government is expected to eliminate brucellosis in domestic livestock by 1998. Then, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem will be the only place in the United States where the disease still is prevalent. It is found mainly in elk and bison.

The animals at the Caldwell Wildlife Health will help with that goal. All the pregnant cows at Caldwell have been tested at least twice and show no signs of brucellosis.