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1. AI conference to prepare for future HPAI outbreaks
WorldPoultry.net
July 14, 2015
To assist the poultry industry in preparing for potential future exposure to high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), an "Avian Influenza Outbreak...Lessons Learned" Conference has been scheduled for July 28-29, 2015, at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown in Des Moines, Iowa.
Registration for the conference is free to qualified stakeholders of the poultry industry and will be closed to media. To maximize broad industry participation, the number of registrations will be limited per company or organization. The conference agenda was developed through the collaboration of the National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation, United Egg Producers, USA Poultry & Egg Export Council, US Department of Agriculture, and US Poultry & Egg Association.
The conference will address the following topics:
H5N2 Outbreak: Where Are We... Where Are We Going?
HPAI Epidemiological Investigations: Biosecurity's Role in Disease Prevention
Industry Biosecurity Challenges
Accountability for Biosecurity
Indemnity Process and Procedures
Communication: Effective Customer Communications, State Agencies, and Federal Agency Stakeholder
Communication
Producer Panel: Lessons Learned
Research Update Panel: Vaccination, Epidemiology of the Virus, and Disease Transmission
Biosecurity for Feed
After the Outbreak: Disposal and Depopulation Methods, Cleaning and Disinfecting, and RePopulation
Gaps and Opportunities - Open Discussion
Actions Items for the Fall Season
Impact on Trade: Implication of Response Activities on Trade, Interstate Poultry Movement, and International
To register to attend the "Avian Influenza Outbreak...Lessons Learned" Conference, see:
https://www.uspoultry.org/uspforms/AIOutbreakConf/index.cfm
Source: http://tinyurl.com/pfxsg2b
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2. No new bird flu cases, but danger lingers [SD]
Bob Mercer, Journal correspondent
Rapid City Journal
July 15, 2015
Youths and adults who take great pride in their poultry and hope to display their birds in competitions at county fairs across South Dakota this summer may be out of luck.
Even though South Dakota hasn't seen a new outbreak of avian flu since May 28, state officials remain concerned about the potential impacts and spread of the deadly virus.
That may mean that the many county fairs queued up across South Dakota in the coming months may still need to hold off on poultry exhibitions and competitions.
The avian flu that shut down some poultry farms in South Dakota this spring could be a threat again this fall, when temperatures cool and waterfowl make their southern migration back from Canada, the state's top animal-health official said Tuesday.
Because the virus remains active for 180 to 210 days, including at fields and ponds where wild birds stop and feed, State Veterinarian Dustin Oedekoven said it's too soon to consider the situation safe.
Oedekoven told members of the state Animal Industry Board on Tuesday that the May 20 ban against poultry exhibitions such as the South Dakota State Fair as well as numerous upcoming county fairs should remain in place.
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/pd7gwx4
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3. Keep an Eye on Transportation Biosecurity
By Josh Booth
PorkNetwork.com
July 14, 2015
Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) again was a topic of discussion at the 2015 World Pork Expo, but the attitude and atmosphere surrounding the viral disease was a stark contrast to 2014.
Last year at the show, the industry was still in the midst of the vicious outbreak that killed as many as 8 million pigs. While experts anticipated the virus to dominate during the winter months, a fairly mild winter coupled with increases in biosecurity kept PEDv incidences relatively low.
PEDv was still a hot topic though. In a standing room only crowd, Paul Thomas, DVM, of AMVC Veterinary Services and Swine Management Services in Audubon, Iowa, talked about the latest PEDv updates, including the best methods to properly clean livestock trailers.
Contaminated trailers were among the reasons PEDv was able to spread quickly across the country.
Full text:
http://www.porknetwork.com/pedv/keep-eye-transportation-biosecurity
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4. Leaders aim to avoid 'hysteria' over deadly deer disease [edited - TX]
Mark Wiggins
KVUE.com
July 14, 2015
AUSTIN -- Texas lawmakers and top agency officials meet this week to address the state's first captive case of a rare and deadly disease affecting deer and, subsequently, the deer hunting industry.
Texas is home to more deer and deer breeders than any other state, and deer hunting is a $2.1 billion a year industry.
In June, a two-year-old deer born in a Medina County breeding facility became the first captive animal in Texas to test positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD), a prion disease and a form of spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) often compared to "mad cow" disease.
"Right now the entire industry is in a moratorium stage," state Rep. Ryan Guillen (D-Rio Grande City) said Monday.
Chair of the House Committee on Culture, Recreation and Tourism, Guillen called an emergency hearing Monday at the Texas State Capitol to address the issue. Representatives from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department testified that deer at the facility in question will be killed and tested, along with others at more than 100 related facilities.
"I don't know what the hurry is to kill these deer," state Rep. Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio) said at the hearing. Arguing for new testing methods which don't require killing the animal, Larson said Texas should avoid overreacting by following other states that have conducted mass exterminations.
"It sent a message you've got poisoned animals in the field, and the number of hunters dropped significantly. We're trying to develop the industry," said Larson, adding that officials should discourage "hysteria."
Dr. Andy Schwartz, assistant executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission, said CWD is hard to contain. The disease could take up to five years to show up, and prions shed at facilities by infected animals can transmit the disease for up to five years. There is no vaccine nor cure, and the disease is always fatal. Yet at the same time, Schwartz said there is no cause for panic and no threat to humans.
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/o23sqkq
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5. Problems persist with federal veterinary workforce numbers
GAO: Not enough veterinarians to respond to animal disease emergency
JAVMA News
July 15, 2015
Federal agencies likely lack sufficient numbers of veterinarians necessary to mount an effective response to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and similar animal health emergencies. Moreover, the departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, which employ the most federal veterinarians, do not know how many veterinarians would be needed in the event of a highly contagious or economically devastating animal disease.
The findings of a new report by the Government Accountability Office released in late May follow up on the agency identifying shortcomings in the federal veterinary workforce in 2009. Federal agencies employed about 2,100 veterinarians as of 2014, according to the report.
While the USDA and HHS have made progress in strengthening their veterinarian workforce planning efforts since then, the GAO concluded the veterinarian workforce still remains a concern.
The GAO said the USDA and HHS must do a better job of determining and addressing skill gaps and dealing with other human capital needs. Additionally, it said the Office of Personnel Management should give agencies direct-hire authority when a critical need for veterinarians emerges.
The National Association of Federal Veterinarians applauded the GAO report. "The NAFV is encouraging all federal agencies employing veterinarians to quickly assess their workforce capacities and capabilities to better prepare for emergencies and ensure they can assist other agencies when needed," NAFV President Ken Angel said.
In a statement, the NAFV noted the United States already faces many challenges resulting from veterinary shortages at food production facilities. "Currently, the veterinary workforce in USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has a 13 percent vacancy rate that is causing severe stress and workload burdens on existing personnel in food production facilities throughout the nation," the association said.
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the association added, has maximized its internal workforce response and is now calling on assistance from its National Animal Health Emergency Response Corps to control and contain the current outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, the largest in U.S. history, which had killed 48 million poultry in the Midwest as of July 1.
Full text:
https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/150801e.aspx
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6. Additional VS Positives Confirmed in Colorado Horses
By Edited Press Release
TheHorse.com
July 15, 2015
As of July 8, the Colorado Department of Agriculture's State Veterinarian's Office has nine locations in three counties under quarantine after horses residing there tested positive for vesicular stomatitis (VS).
"I encourage horse and other livestock owners, including dairies, to monitor which counties are affected and be vigilant about fly control," said State Veterinarian Keith Roehr, DVM. "Controlling flies can go a long way in preventing the spread of this virus. Vesicular stomatitis can be painful for animals and costly to their owners. The virus typically causes oral blisters and sores that can be painful causing difficulty in eating and drinking."
County and Number of Premises Quarantined
Delta: 3
Montezuma County: 1
Montrose: 5
A 2014 outbreak of VS created 556 livestock investigations in Colorado resulting in 370 quarantines with the final quarantines released in January 2015.
A number of species are susceptible to VS, including horses, mules, cattle, bison, sheep, goats, pigs, and camelids. The clinical signs of the disease include vesicles, erosions, and sloughing of the skin on the muzzle, tongue, and teats and above the hooves of susceptible livestock. Vesicles are usually only seen early in the course of the disease.
Full text:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/36092/additional-vs-positives-confirmed-in-colorado-horses
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7. 2015 48th American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) Annual Conference
DairyHerd.com
July 14, 2015
The 2015 48th American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) Annual Conference Sept. 17-19 in New Orleans, La., is taking continuing education and in-depth training to a new level with this year's program. Registration is now open.
The 2015 program theme, "Embrace Change. Expand Skills. Explore Opportunities." is intended to assist attendees to navigate the numerous changes in bovine medicine including regulations, welfare and protocols, and adopt new skills to benefit their practices and their beef and dairy producer clients.
"The general sessions will focus on cattle welfare topics for beef and dairy farms, and keynote speaker Dave Daley will present current thoughts on animal welfare and the changing social ethic," says AABP President-Elect and Program Chairman Dr. Fred Gingrich. "Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn from veterinarians and producers who have experienced undercover videos released from their farms." The beef and dairy sessions will offer practitioners current topics tackled every day from fetal programming to BRD and sand lanes to Salmonella, Gingrich adds.
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/pn5zx4m
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