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1. Indiana Could Lift Poultry Show Ban By Mid-September
By Network Indiana
IndianaPublicMedia.org
July 9, 2015
Indiana's Board of Animal Health issued an indefinite ban on co-mingling bird flocks in May after a case of avian flu was spotted in the state.
There have been no new bird flu cases since one was identified in Iowa three weeks ago.
The state could lifts its ban on poultry shows as soon as Sept. 17.
Indiana's Board of Animal Health issued an indefinite ban on co-mingling bird flocks in May after a case of avian flu was spotted in the state amid a national outbreak that's killed 48 million birds.
The ban will mean bird-free poultry barns at the Indiana State Fair next month.
There have been no new bird flu cases since one was identified in Iowa three weeks ago, and if the virus doesn't pop up again before mid-September, that will mark three months since the last U.S. case.
The three-month mark is the international standard for declaring the country flu-free.
Full text:
http://indianapublicmedia.org/news/indiana-list-poultry-show-ban-midseptember-84664/
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2. Two cases of eastern equine encephalitis confirmed in Texas
AgriLife Today
July 10, 2015
COLLEGE STATION - Eastern equine encephalitis has been confirmed in two East Texas horses from separate facilities by the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in College Station, according to agency officials.
The horses were in Newton and Orange counties. The Orange County case is approximately 10 miles from an eastern equine encephalitis, which occurred in 2014.
As a reportable zoonotic disease, the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Animal Health Commission were made aware of the positive test results. Human infection with eastern equine encephalitis, commonly known as EEE, is relatively infrequent in the U.S.
Of the neurologic diseases that affect horses, eastern equine encephalitis has the highest mortality rate, according to animal health experts. Both horses displayed classic signs: flaccid or droopy lips, dullness, muscle fasciculation, ataxia and head pressing. One of the horses displayed blindness.
"Highly effective vaccines are available for EEE, western equine encephalitis and West Nile virus," said Dr. Terry Hensley, Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory assistant agency director and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service veterinarian.
"These equine neurologic diseases are preventable with proper vaccination. This is why it is so important to keep your horse current on their vaccinations.
"According to the attending veterinarians in these two cases, both horses were unvaccinated. On the Gulf Coast and especially with all the rain we have had, if you choose to vaccinate for any disease, do so for these neurologic diseases."
Full text:
http://today.agrilife.org/2015/07/10/two-cases-of-eastern-equine-encephalitis-confirmed-in-texas/
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3. PEDV viability in feed ingredients researched
Kevin Schulz
National Hog Farmer
July 10, 2015
An evaluation of viability of the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in individual feed ingredients in swine diets was recently studied by Pipestone Applied Research and the South Dakota State University's Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory.
Scott Dee, veterinarian with Pipestone Applied Research in Pipestone, Minn., highlighted takeaways from this recent research.
* Eighteen common ingredients (corn, soybean meal, dried distillers grains, several porcine byproducts, vitamin/trace minerals, fats, synthetic amino acids, limestone and choline) found in commercial swine diets were tested, and researchers learned that in approximately 50% of these ingredients, the virus was able to survive for extended periods. In other ingredients, however, the virus was not able to survive for even one day.
* Specifically, live virus was recovered from soybean meal for 180 days, from complete feed for 45 days and from DDGS, choline, amino acids and choice white grease for 30 days, respectively. In contrast, live virus was not detected in porcine plasma at day 1 post-inoculation.
* Application of a formaldehyde-based liquid antimicrobial (SalCURB) successfully neutralized the virus, independent of ingredient type.
This research is a follow-up to previous PAR research that found that complete feed could be one transmission mode for PEDV.
Full text:
http://nationalhogfarmer.com/nutrition/pedv-viability-feed-ingredients-researched
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4. Second Wild Case Of Bird Flu Reported In Ramsey County Chickadee [MN]
Minnesota.CBSlocal.com
July 10, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Officials in the Department of Natural Resources have confirmed Minnesota's second case of bird flu in the wild.
According to the DNR, a wild chickadee was recovered in Ramsey County on June 10 and delivered to a wildfire rehabilitation center where it tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The virus was first discovered in the wild when a Cooper's hawk from Yellow Medicine County tested positive for the virus in April.
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/nzwmo82
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5. Dairy farms go digital with apps
Nik Hawkins
Fond du Lac Reporter
July 11, 2015
MADISON -- As farms grow increasingly complex and more dependent on science and technology, the iconic image of an old homesteader in weather-worn overalls is being replaced by that of a digital-savvy agricultural expert wielding a tablet.
Faculty, staff members and students at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine are making major contributions to this evolution, particularly within the dairy industry. The school's Food Animal Production Medicine program has developed eight unique iPad applications to help meet the needs of today's dairy farmers.
Available on the iTunes store, the apps provide a variety of assistance, from the freestall assessor app that helps guide freestall construction to optimize cow comfort and milk production, to the group pen respiratory scorer app that offers step-by-step instructions on assessing the respiratory health of calves.
Full text:
http://www.fdlreporter.com/story/life/2015/07/11/dairy-farms-go-digital-apps/30015171/
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6. West Nile Virus On Rise Throughout California
The state is reporting more cases this year, and the drought could partially be to blame.
By Susan C. Schena
Patch.com
July 10, 2015
The level of West Nile virus activity is on the rise throughout California, according to the state's Department of Public Health.
So far this year, 31 counties have reported virus activity, according to health department officials.
The number of California counties with virus activity is 10 more than this time last year and also well above the five-year average of 18, health department officials said.
To date, 240 mosquito samples have tested positive for WNV, six more than last year at this time, according to the department.
WNV is influenced by many factors such as climate, the number and types of birds and mosquitoes in an area and the level of immunity in birds to the virus, health department officials said. Drought conditions may play a role in the rise of WNV activity because of reduced water sources for birds and mosquitoes. As birds and mosquitoes seek water, they are coming into closer contact with each other than usual, which could amplify transmission of the virus, according to health department officials.
Full text:
http://patch.com/california/elkgrove/west-nile-virus-rise-throughout-california
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7. Long Recovery For Bighorn Sheep [CO]
Associated Press
KKTV.com
July 11, 2015
Bighorn sheep numbers in Southwest Colorado are stable, but the population isn't growing.
Catastrophic die-offs caused by respiratory illness over the past two decades have kept the numbers low and they are not bouncing back.
The sheep were killed off by pasteurella, a respiratory disease that can wipe out 50 to 75 percent of a herd.
In the Gunnison National Forest, the Taylor River herd of only 25 bighorn once numbered around 200 until the herd was exposed to the disease.
According to the Durango Herald, animal experts say it is likely the numbers remain low because once a herd is infected, some animals remain carriers for the disease.
Source:
http://www.kktv.com/news/headlines/Long-Recovery-For-Bighorn-Sheep-313866881.html
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