BILLINGS - On Monday officials discovered a second case of Brucellosis in Montana in less than two years. That will cost the state its Brucellosis-free status.

Montana livestock officials are now expanding their investigation the Paradise Valley area to determine if cows from neighboring herds contracted the disease as well.

The state can reapply for Brucellosis-free status in May of 2009. In the meantime, cattle ranchers are digging deep into their pockets. Once Montana loses its Brucellosis-free status, any non-spayed cow or bull more than 18 months old will need to be tested for the disease before leaving the state.

These tests are only a dollar apiece, but Dennis McDonald, a cattle rancher and former president of the Montana Cattlemen's Association, said the hassle of getting the cattle rounded up will cost them much more than that.

"We will have to corral, have a vet come out, test our cattle, that is extract blood," he said. "We'll have to quarantine those cattle while the test results are being determined and then complete the paperwork to confirm that the herd is Brucellosis-free."

John Paterson, Extension Beef Specialist at Montana State University, said Brucellosis vaccines are not mandatory for cattle in the state, but about 60 percent of Montana's cattle are already vaccinated.

The cow that did test positive this week had been vaccinated twice, but no vaccine is 100% effective. Paterson said anytime a cow tests positive for the disease the blood is sent to a national lab for additional testing just to make sure it's not a false positive.