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Sheep quarantine endsHELENA, Mont. (AP)--The sheep quarantine the state Livestock Department imposed in 16 eastern Montana counties ended Oct. 3, six days before the expiration announced when the quarantine took effect in September. State veterinarian Marty Zaluski said frosty nights reduced the risk of gnats further spreading the disease bluetongue, therefore he ended the quarantine early. Bluetongue, which is sometimes fatal in sheep, was confirmed last month in tests from eight flocks in six Montana counties. The disease spreads when a gnat bites an infected animal, and then bites a healthy one. The quarantine prohibiting the transport of sheep first was imposed Sept. 10 as a 30-day restriction in just Musselshell County. On Sept. 20, Zaluski extended the order to 15 additional counties. The quarantine had been scheduled to end Oct. 9. It came at a time when sheep producers typically transport their lambs to sale yards. From there, the sheep often go to feedlots. Department of Livestock spokeswoman Lisa Schmidt has said bluetongue is suspected of killing hundreds of Montana sheep and sickening hundreds of others. The disease also has turned up in wildlife. The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks sent postcards Oct. 1 to some sportsmen in eastern Montana, warning them not be too optimistic about hunting prospects when antelope season opens this weekend. Since July, bluetongue has killed nearly one-third of the pronghorn antelope in one of eastern Montana's hunting districts, the department said. Besides Musselshell, counties the sheep quarantine covered are Big Horn, Carter, Carbon, Custer, Fallon, Fergus, Garfield, Golden Valley, Petroleum, Powder River, Prairie, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure and Yellowstone. Date: 10/10/07
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