WLSB hosts meeting
On March 4, members of the Wyoming Livestock Board (WLSB) and the general public gathered for a meeting held in person at the Thyra Thomson State Office Building in Casper and over Zoom.
Topics covered included director’s updates, brucellosis updates, animal health updates, discussions on Wyoming bangs tags and brand inspection and other administrative board business.
Brand inspection report
Following a call to order from WLSB President Mary Owens and an approval by the board of Nov. 18, 2025 meeting minutes, WLSB Brand Commissioner Lee Romsa shared a brand inspection report.
For brand recording, Romsa shared 4,239 – or roughly 77 percent – of eligible brands were renewed in 2025.
He also shared some updates about delinquent brands and noted immediate priorities for the next brand renewal period include conducting another scrub of addresses and issuing final notifications for delinquent brands.
For brand inspection, Romsa noted several brand inspector positions are currently being advertised and interviewed for, including full-time positions in Thermopolis and Torrington and part-time positions in the Lander and Riverton area and Torrington.
Romsa also noted a review of total inspection numbers for 2025 show similar numbers to 2023-24 and said a detailed report will be finished shortly.
Director’s update
Next, WLSB Director Steve True shared director’s updates.
He began by noting WLSB sent representatives and deputies to the 2026 Western States Livestock Rural Enforcement Association Conference in Reno, Nev. as part of the department’s memorandum of understanding with local sheriffs’ departments.
Additionally, True urged the public to pay attention to missing cattle reports in Wyoming and around the country, with a particular focus on protecting calves.
“Baby calves are vulnerable little beasts this time of year,” True stated, acknowledging some recent reports of missing calves and markets in Colorado where bucket calves recently brought up to $1,200.
He noted WLSB law enforcement investigators and local sheriffs are aware of the circumstances and have been discussing potential solutions, including increased patrols.
Legislative update
True also provided legislative updates, highlighting various wins to come out of the ongoing state legislative session and topics of interest WLSB will monitor as the session progresses.
“First, the legislative body voted to adopt the governor’s raises for state employees,” True began, noting final decisions will be determined throughout upcoming discussions. “I want to thank the governor and his staff for their battles on that.”
True also highlighted the procurement of funding for an additional state field veterinary position and a one-time appropriation of just over $131,000 for disease mitigation efforts focused on combatting threats such as New World screwworm, equine herpesvirus, influenza or anything else outside of WLSB’s existing animal health budget.
Additionally, True ex-pressed excitement over progress being made with the Rural Veterinary Medicine Education Program, which promises to appropriate $550,000 from the general fund to the University of Wyoming in order to provide veterinary medicine education and training to a cohort of five students who commit to practicing in Wyoming after veterinary school.
True also flagged ongoing legislative debates in Nebraska regarding brand inspection laws as an area of interest the board has been tracking closely.
Animal health updates
Additionally, the meeting included presentations on brucellosis surveillance, management and mitigation efforts, as well as an animal health update from Wyoming State Veterinarian Dr. Hallie Hasel.
Hasel began her report with comments regarding ongoing management efforts of elk feedgrounds in the Pinedale and Jackson areas, which aim to reduce the spread of brucellosis and open up more feedgrounds for elk herds.
Her report also noted two cattle herds – one in Park County and another in Sublette County – remain quarantined for brucellosis, and herd testing remains ongoing.
Additionally, Hasel reported two backyard flocks diagnosed with highly pathogenic avian influenza remain under quarantine, and flock owners are up-to-date on guidance regarding cleaning and biosecurity.
Wyoming Game and Fish Department Wildlife Health Laboratory Supervisor Jessica Jennings then shared a presentation on brucellosis surveillance in elk herds, and WLSB Assistant State Veterinarian Dr. Teckla Webb offered a cost-benefit analysis regarding brucellosis vaccinations in non-endemic areas of Wyoming.
Webb explained vaccinating against brucellosis as a preventative measure in areas where the disease has not been reported is not cost-efficient and poses the potential for more harm than good.
“The cost outweighs the benefits for preventing a disease that’s not there,” Webb said. “It’s only preventative if we have a risk we’re trying to prevent – if there’s no risk of disease, then there’s not a need for a preventative measure.”
“If the disease is endemic and you’re grazing cattle in an at-risk area, we recommend vaccination,” Webb added. “If you are not in this area, we do not recommend vaccination.”
Additional updates
In addition, the board discussed the potential of rolling out a Wyoming-specific bangs tag later this year.
Conversations remain ongoing, but Hasel and True note Wyoming will be offering a metal bangs vaccination tag for in-state use only in the near future. Details are still being finalized and will be made public at a future date.
To conclude, the board heard public comments on brand inspection, and a subsequent meeting was scheduled for April 22.
Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
