Western Wyoming Herd Slaughtered

Boulder, WY – About 260 cattle from a western Wyoming ranch were shipped to slaughter Wednesday, the latest step in federal and state efforts to prevent the spread of brucellosis. Boulder-area rancher Jerry Jensen watched with sadness as the cattle were hauled away in five trucks. He says it was like seeing four generations of the family's ranching business going down the road. All the family's breeding stock, including cows, bulls and two year old heifers, were sent to a packing plant in Nebraska. The Jensens were allowed to keep about 200 heifer and steer calves, but the heifers must be spayed so they cannot be used as breeding stock. Although the source of the infection has not been pinpointed, wildlife researchers are focsuing on a state elk feedground next to the Jensen ranch about 15 miles east of Boulder.