A total of 1,500 cattle herds in Minnesota have tested negative for bovine tuberculosis, the state Board of Animal Health announced Wednesday.

This completes a testing campaign aimed at locating and eliminating any infection that might remain in the state and bringing Minnesota closer to regaining TB-free status.

The statewide surveillance, which began in September 2006, is part of a comprehensive plan authored by the board with state and federal partners to eliminate bovine TB from Minnesota's livestock and wildlife populations.

"The successful completion of this testing campaign is a direct result of the tireless efforts of Minnesota's cattle producers and veterinarians," said the board's senior veterinarian, Dr. Linda Glaser. "For producers, completing a TB herd test is a complicated and time-consuming task. ... These individuals went above and beyond for their industry, and we thank them for that."

In addition to the 1,500 statewide surveillance herds, 326 other herds have been tested. Testing continues in northwestern Minnesota, where the disease has been found.

In late October, a heifer from a Beltrami County farm tested positive for bovine TB, dealing a setback to the state's cattle industry. That led to detection of bovine TB in eight beef herds in Roseau and Beltrami counties.

While the infections posed little risk to human health, that discovery slowed the industry's effort to regain the crucial "TB-free" status, the board said.

The state's cattle herds will be declared free of TB once two years pass from when the last herd was put down and there are no more bovine TB detections in the state.

Losing the TB-free label poses a cumbersome financial burden for ranchers, who must then pay for testing if they want to sell their animals outside of the state.

PAUL WALSH

The number of people who died in traffic-related accidents on Minnesota roads last year topped 500, according to preliminary data released Wednesday by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

The 503 deaths reported so far have surpassed the official total of 494 recorded in 2006, and marked the first time in five years that the number of fatalities increased from the previous year.

In 2005, 559 people died in traffic accidents; the year before that, 567 people died. In 2003, 655 died on state roads.

The official number of deaths for 2007 won't be known for weeks, until all fatal-accident reports are filed with the state, the Department of Public Safety said. Still, the final number will show that last year was more deadly on Minnesota roads than in 2006, when the state recorded its lowest death toll since 1945.

Data regarding alcohol-related deaths and seat-belt use will be released later this year.

TIM HARLOW

A college professor and some of his students are out with a ranking of the best lotteries in the United States, and Minnesota rated very well.

Minnesota came in fifth, behind California, Pennsylvania, Texas and Iowa.

The list was compiled by Gerald Busald, a San Antonio College mathematics professor, and students in his statistics class. Busald has been a self-appointed watchdog of Texas' lottery games for many years.

Here's what the project liked and didn't like about Minnesota's lottery games:

Good: Scratch-off games were closed once all top-level prizes were claimed; a maximum $10 scratch-off prize; $1.82 million toward problem-gambling initiatives.

Bad: Lottery winnings subject to state income tax; not all levels of unclaimed prizes on website; no odds statements on back of online tickets.

For more on the rankings, visit www.startribune.com/a3822.

PAUL WALSH