As we enter summer months, livestock producers and outdoor enthusiasts across the state, especially those in South Texas, have more to think about than rising temperatures.

Anthrax, sometimes incorrectly referred to as bovine anthrax, is a bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, which occurs naturally in soil. The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, TVMDL, historically sees a rise in positive cases in June, July and August, followed by a slow decrease through September and October.

How concerned should you be about anthrax?

https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2023/05/26/anthrax-quick-facts/

Rocksprings in Edwards county gets quite a few cases as does north and east Val Verde County every year. Some ranchers have been know to hide carcasses they suspect died of anthrax to keep from getting quarantined.

This caught my eye:
What should people do if they suspect an animal of having anthrax?
Paul: If you see the sudden death of an animal with leakage of uncoagulated blood from natural openings, contact your local veterinarian, the TAHC or TVMDL.

Hensley: People should not open a carcass suspected of anthrax. If you must handle the carcass, wear disposable gloves, a mask, long pants and a long sleeve shirt or coveralls. Launder your clothes in hot water. In anthrax endemic areas, do not pick up bones or antlers since you have no way of knowing whether the animal died from the disease or not. The spores can remain in the environment for decades.

Edwards county is a big county. The area south and south west towards carta valley are the worst. North and east Edwards are outside of the triangle.

Northern Kinney County also gets hit hard around the Kickapoo

Drier years, worse cases of anthrax, they eat the forage down to the dirt, where the disease lives; wet years, seldom hear of a case.... it's in lots of places ...

Anthrax shows up when there are Indian summers, pretty simple.

Carta Valley is the Capital City of Anthrax...
Adios,
Gary

I seem to remember that shortly after 9-11 folks were getting anthrax sent to them in the mail and the government was trying to track down those people who were sending it. During that period people were saying that there was more anthrax inside the capitol building in Austin than in all the stuff that was mailed. And it came from the ranchers and farmers who had walked through those hallways in the past.

That may be true, but there are some mitigating factors. For example, with most poisons, pathogens, carcinogens, etc., it isn't the amount so much as the concentration. It is likely that all the anthrax in the capitol is widely and sparsely distributed over its 18 acres of floor space. That would differ significantly from a staffer opening an envelope and having the contents spill out on a desk an into the air and being directly inhaled in a comparatively highly concentrated amount.