News Photo by Kayla Wikaryasz On Tuesday, Dr. Shannon Cerveny is seen giving a presentation at the Ossineke Township Hall. State employees gave presentations to update meeting attendees of bovine tuberculosis in Alpena and surrounding counties.

OSSINEKE — Representatives from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services met at the Ossineke Township Hall on Tuesday evening to give updates on bovine tuberculosis (bTB) management in Alpena and surrounding counties.

The meeting included updates from Peter Davidson, Ph.D., MDHHS tuberculosis program coordinator, Dr. Shannon Cerveny, Ph.D., MDARD tuberculosis program coordinator, and Pat Ryan, USDA wildlife biologist.

In addition to updates, the meeting included a presentation by Melinda Cosgrove, DNR laboratory scientist manager.

According to the DNR, in Alpena County alone, 1,214 deer were tested for bTB and 11 tested positive.

Phil Durst, a Michigan State University Extension field-based educator, stated the meeting was meant to inform and clear up misinformation about TB and bTB.

“Good information reduces uncertainty,” Durst said. “Uncertainty breeds rumors.”

Davidson was the first to provide updates.

First, Davidson gave a background on the risks bTB poses to humans.

“Human TB and bovine TB are like cousins,” Davidson said. “They basically work in similar ways.”

Davidson explained that in 2024, 165 people in Michigan tested positive for TB, which was an 11% increase from 2023. Of those 165 people, only one tested positive for bTB. As of June 9, Davidson explained there have been 68 cases of TB in Michigan, with two already testing positive for bTB.

Cerveny provided updates for TB programs in the Michigan Modified Accredited Zone (MAZ). MAZ is where there is an epidemic of bTB among free-ranging white-tailed deer.

Cerveny explained that the MAZ is comprised of four counties that include Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, and Oscoda. In the MAZ, there are 164 cattle farms. A buffer area around MAZ includes portions of Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, and Otsego counties. This buffer zone includes 72 cattle farms.

According to Cerveny, MDARD completed 1,400 herd visits and completed 16,541 tests in 2024. She explained that the most recent herd to have tested positive for bTB in Alcona County was the first in three years, and the eighth case since 1998.

Cerveny explained that herds enrolled in the Enhanced Wildlife Biosecurity (EWB) program receive night surveillance to track movement of deer on farmland. EWB personnel will work with farmers to remove deer from their property.

According to Cerveny, cattle testing positive for bTB in Texas were sent to Michigan in May of 2025. Cerveny explained that MDARD is currently working on next steps of bTB management and quarantining the herd.

Ryan updated meeting attendees of the collaborative work that the USDA, MDARD, and MDHHS has done to mitigate cattle exposure to bTB.

“I think our TB programs … have done a tremendous job at protecting cattle,” Ryan said.

Ryan explained that deer and cattle sharing pasture still poses a challenge to tuberculosis management efforts. He explained that the animals are “swapping spit” on shared pasture areas.

However, Ryan said the amount of deer on a pasture determines the amount of risk for bTB exposure.

“A couple deer … odds are pretty small,” Ryan said. “In some situations … 100 deer or more … definitely increases encountering (bTB) indirectly.”

Ryan said that spring is when indirect exposure to bTB can happen the most because deer are stressed from the winter and tend to venture farther out for food.

Overall, Ryan explained that work with farmers to install infrastructure preventing deer from cohabiting in cattle spaces has been successful thus far.

Cosgrove discussed how the DNR uses data collected from submitted deer. Cosgrove said that in 2024, the DNR tested 2,800 deer in the MAZ and 1,700 deer in the buffer zone counties.

“In total, for that 11-county area, there are over 4,500 deer tested and 21 positives detected last year,” Cosgrove said.

Cosgrove explained that her laboratory tests deer that have been submitted by hunters, deer that have been found dead, or deer that have been reported ill.

IN OTHER BUSINESS

— According to Ryan, 25,000 pounds of venison have been tested for bTB and donated to and distributed by the Eastern Michigan Food Bank. The venison donation program is now being funded by Hunters Feeding Michigan.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.