Five South Dakota auction yards recently hosted fundraisers that generated more than $50,000 to support a legal battle to stop older Canadian cattle from coming into the United States.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Aberdeen earlier this fall by Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America, the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association and nine other plaintiffs to stop the U.S. Department of Agriculture's rule opening up the border to Canadian cattle over 30 months of age.

The groups contend that the border should be kept closed to older Canadian cattle because of that country's problems with mad cow disease. Mad cow disease, known scientifically as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, is believed to occur mostly in cattle older than 30 months of age. The border was opened in November.

The plaintiffs say the move increases the risk of BSE infection in the U.S. cattle herd.

The fundraisers were held at Mobridge Livestock Market, Faith Livestock Commission Company, Philip Livestock Auction, Gettysburg Livestock Exchange and Fort Pierre Livestock Auction.