HELENA - Sheep producers in 16 eastern Montana counties can move their animals to sale yards or elsewhere, now that a quarantine is over.
The Montana Department of Livestock ended the quarantine Wednesday. That's six days earlier than announced when it was imposed last month, because of the disease bluetongue. State veterinarian Marty Zaluski says cold weather that kills gnats has reduced the risk of those insects further spreading the disease.
Department of Livestock spokeswoman Lisa Schmidt has said bluetongue is suspected of killing hundreds of Montana sheep, and sickening hundreds of others.
Last month, it was confirmed in tests from eight flocks in six Montana counties.
One big effect of the quarantine is that it restricted movement of sheep to sale yards at a time of year when ranchers expect to sell their lambs.
The quarantine was imposed in one Montana county on September 10th, and extended to 15 others on the 20th.