Federal Cuts Slow Wyoming’s Livestock Disease Response

Last summer, Wyoming faced its first anthrax outbreak in more than 50 years. Dozens of cattle and even a moose near Elk Mountain died, and ranchers criticized the state for responding too slowly.

Now, state veterinarians warn that sluggish response times may become the norm. Federal budget cuts have reduced Wyoming’s ability to act quickly when livestock diseases strike.

State Veterinarian Hallie Hazel told lawmakers at an Aug. 28 committee meeting that her team used to respond to outbreaks within six hours. With fewer staff, that response could now take days—long enough for a disease to spread unchecked.

The Wyoming Livestock Board lost five employees this summer after federal reorganization of the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Those duties have been shifted to just three remaining staff members, creating serious gaps.

“It’s not only about outbreaks like anthrax,” Hazel explained. “Prevention efforts, like brucellosis education meetings with ranchers, have been cut back too.”

Brucellosis, which spreads from elk and bison to cattle, causes pregnancy losses and major economic damage for producers. But Hazel said her team no longer has the time or funding to meet regularly with ranchers in high-risk areas.

The shortage has also delayed responses to local veterinarians’ disease questions and stalled efforts to update Wyoming’s outdated animal health emergency response plan.

Hazel told lawmakers that restoring the lost positions—veterinarians or animal health technicians—would be the most effective fix. But with no budget for new hires, the Livestock Board is forced to do more with less.

The board operates on a biennium budget, receiving $4.7 million from the state general fund for 2023–2024, with an additional $11.7 million generated from brand recordings and inspections.

For now, Wyoming ranchers may need to adjust to longer waits when livestock diseases emerge—an unsettling prospect after last year’s deadly anthrax scare.