Improve biosecurity of tribal buffalo (bison bison) herds in response to mycoplasma bovis outbreaks and assess safe timelines for live translocations of buffalo from previously infected herds

Intertribal buffalo council (itbc) will establish a research herd of 118 buffalo and conduct serial nasopharyngeal, serologic, and histologic testing in order to assess whether and when animals removed from previously infected herds may convert to active infection, or whether a recommended timeline may be established for safely translocating live buffalo from previously infected herds. Itbc will also conduct necropsies on a number of buffalo who are seropostive, nasopharyngeal negative buffalo in order to increase confidence in tests available for live buffalo. This project will deliver multiple peer-reviewed research papers on the results of this study and their implications for decision-makers on the risks of translocating live buffalo from previously mycoplasma bovis-infected herds. This project will improve biosecurity and understanding of risk for tribal buffalo herd managers, who rely heavily on translocations of live buffalo from public, private, and other tribal herds through itbc's surplus buffalo program. Impacts extend beyond just tribal herds, however, as this disease poses risks to public, private, and tribal herd managers alike, who all rely on live translocations, whether for live animal sales, conservation movements, or population management purposes. Beneficiaries of this project include all stakeholders within the bovine animal health community, who are in need of controlled scientific research to elucidate the pathology of this disease in buffalo.