South Dakota has confirmed its first cattle anthrax case of 2026 in a Meade County beef herd, and state officials have quarantined the animals while notifying neighboring ranchers in an area with a history of the disease.
The South Dakota Animal Industry Board announced the confirmation on September 3. State Veterinarian Dr. Mendel Miller said the cow and calf herd began experiencing unexplained deaths while pastured in Butte County, where exposure is believed to have occurred, before the cattle were moved to Meade County and continued to show symptoms. It is the state's first confirmed anthrax case since 2024.
