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1. USDA secretary not ready to declare bird flu outbreak over
By Steve Karnowski, Associated Press
KWWL.com
July 20, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says he's not ready to declare the Midwest bird flu outbreak over.
While no new cases of the H5N2 virus have been detected over for over a month, Vilsack told The Associated Press on Monday that the threat hasn't passed.
Vilsack said poultry producers have caught a break thanks to the summer weather because warmer temperatures tend to kill the virus.
But he also said his agency is aware of the need to be prepared in case the disease reappears this fall. He noted that USDA officials and poultry industry groups plan to meet in Iowa next week to discuss those plans.
Full text:
http://www.kwwl.com/story/29587591/usda-secretary-not-ready-to-declare-bird-flu-outbreak-over
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2. Beef operations need biosecurity plan in place
By Beth Doran, ISU Extension beef program specialist
Bovine Veterinarian
July 20, 2015
The recent outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the upper Midwest is a reminder of the importance of good biosecurity.
Specifically, a biosecurity plan is designed to prevent the spread and movement of infectious diseases onto the operation. Following is a brief description of the parts of a biosecurity plan.
Cattle health starts with acquiring animals from sources with known and trusted herd health programs. Nationally, the most widely recognized health program is the preconditioned feeder calf program. In this program, the feeder calf receives prescribed vaccinations, and there is a specific management protocol. A good health program also includes having protocols in place for handling sick animals, downer animals, mortalities and new/returning animals. A quarantine of 30 days is advised for newly purchased livestock or animals returning from another premise or exhibition.
Full text:
http://www.bovinevetonline.com/news/beef-operations-need-biosecurity-plan-place
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3. First West Nile Virus Horse Case of The Year Confirmed in Kennewick [WA]
Posted by Marcus McCoy, NBC Right Now Website Manager
NBCRightNow.com
July 21, 2015
OLYMPIA, WA- The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is reporting that a five-year-old Quarter horse gelding in Kennewick is the first equine in the state to contract West Nile virus this year. The horse, which was not vaccinated for the disease, has not left the owner's property recently. The horse's status is improving.
The Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Pullman, operated by Washington State University, reported the positive test results to WSDA's State Veterinarian's Office Friday.
Washington had five confirmed cases of horses with West Nile virus last year, including horses in Benton, Franklin, Grant, Okanogan and Yakima counties.
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/ncvfu2g
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4. It's Not Too Late to Vaccinate Horses Against EEE, WNV
By Edited Press Release
TheHorse.com
July 21, 2015
Perhaps it slipped your mind earlier this year or maybe you thought the mild weather would hold them off, but mosquitoes are swarming and could spread two diseases among horses. It's not too late to vaccinate for prevention of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV).
"The mild weather we've had may have lulled you into a false sense of security, but the mosquito population has exploded since the warm weather arrived and horses are at risk," said Julie McGwin, DVM, of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
Horses require two doses of the vaccinations initially, and then boosters at least annually.
"Work with your veterinarian on your horse's vaccination program so you get the best formulation for your horse and advice about additional boosters later in the season," McGwin says.
Full text:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/36126/its-not-too-late-to-vaccinate-horses-against-eee-wnv
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5. Detecting disease in beef cattle using ear tag units
Phys.org
July 21, 2015
A smartphone switches its orientation from portrait to landscape depending on how it's tilted. A car's airbags inflate when it senses collision forces. By detecting earth's vibrations, a computer can measure the magnitude and aftershocks of an earthquake.
These technologies are made possible by accelerometers-small, electromechanical devices that measure acceleration. The devices are able to detect the most sensitive of motions, from the number of steps taken during a morning walk to the number of jaw movements during a heifer's morning meal. In fact, some dairy producers use these devices to measure feed intake, detect heat and notably, identify sick animals.
"We know that rumination and feeding patterns change in diseased animals long before they visually show clinical signs," said Dr. Karin Orsel, Associate Professor at the University of Calgary.
Colleagues from University of Calgary's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada wanted to know if the same accelerometer technology could be implemented in beef systems. Their 13-day study, "Technical note: Accuracy of an ear tag-attached accelerometer to monitor rumination and feeding behavior in feedlot behavior," can be found in June's issue of the Journal of Animal Science.
Calgary's study is one of the first to monitor use with an in-ear accelerometer unit (developed by SensOor; Agis Automatisering BV, Harmelen, The Netherlands.) SensOor's CowManager system uses a proprietary algorithm to quantify ear movements, as well as time spent feeding, ruminating, resting, and being active. It records these actions and relays it to an online program, which can also be downloaded as an app on a smartphone.
"The SensOor has proven its application in dairy cattle," said Orsel. "[This] method is potentially able to identify diseased animals before the feedlot crew."
Full text:
http://phys.org/news/2015-07-disease-beef-cattle-ear-tag.html
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6. Lack of Knowledge on Animal Disease Leaves Humans at Risk
Source: University of Sydney
Infection Control Today
July 20, 2015
Researchers from the University of Sydney have painted the most detailed picture to date of major infectious diseases shared between wildlife and livestock, and found a huge gap in knowledge about diseases which could spread to humans. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the world-first study has found that just 10 diseases account for around 50 percent of all published knowledge on diseases at the wildlife-livestock interface. It is based on an analysis of almost 16,000 publications spanning the last century.
[ See Abstract: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/07/15/1422741112.abstract ]
In the wake of recent virus outbreaks of wildlife origin, such as Hendra virus in Australia, Ebola virus in West Africa, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus in the Arabian Peninsula, more research must focus on this wildlife-livestock interface to evaluate risks and improve responses to disease epidemics in animals and humans, the researchers argue.
"Oftentimes we don't prioritise animal health until it impacts on human health, which means we miss the opportunity to manage diseases at the source," says co-author Dr. Siobhan Mor from the faculty of veterinary science.
"In the case of emerging diseases, we tend to react to large outbreaks of disease in humans, rather than preventing or managing the infection in animals, likely because we still don't know a lot about the role of these microbes in the ecology of wildlife and livestock disease."
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/purnm3v
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7. Veterinary Feed Directive Brochures
FDA Ctr. for Veterinary Medicine
July 21, 2015
Veterinary Feed Directive Brochures - now available:
Veterinary Feed Directive Producer Requirements - http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/ucm455413.htm
Veterinary Feed Directive Requirements for Distributors (Who Manufacture VFD Feed) - http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/ucm455414.htm
Veterinary Feed Directive Requirements for Distributors (Who Do Not Manufacture VFD Feed) - http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/ucm455415.htm
Veterinary Feed Directive Requirements for Veterinarians - http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/ucm455416.htm
Veterinary Feed Directive Requirements for Veterinarians - For Veterinary Students - http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/ucm455417.htm
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