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1. USDA progressing on avian flu vaccine

By Jacqui Fatka

Feedstuffs

July 22, 2015

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is taking a multi-faceted approach in better being able to prepare and respond to what likely will be another round of avian influenza when migratory birds again move this fall or next spring.

During a House Agriculture Committee hearing Wednesday, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack shared that a vaccine has been found that is 100% effective in chickens and testing has begun in turkeys to evaluate its effectiveness.

If the testing on turkeys also is promising, that seed strain will be provided to the company that has developed the license agreement and work will also get underway to work with other vaccine companies to purchase the license.

The Office of Management and Budget has been asked for sufficient resources to stockpile that vaccine ahead of another round of an outbreak.

Full text:

http://feedstuffs.com/story-usda-progressing-avian-flu-vaccine-45-130185  

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2. Nebraska bird flu quarantine lifted

By Nicholas Bergin

Lincoln Journal Star

July 22, 2015

Nebraska Department of Agriculture officials have cleared poultry flocks within a 6.2 mile radius of a massive avian influenza outbreak and lifted its quarantine of the area, according to the most recent update from the state agency.

About 4.9 million laying hens and pullets have been euthanized in Nebraska at six farms in Dixon County to prevent the disease from spreading. The vast majority of those birds were on five farms owned and operated by the same producer. Four of those facilities had confirmed bird flu cases. The fifth farm was voluntarily depopulated as a precaution to prevent the spread of the virus.

The sixth facility in Dixon County had fewer than 100 animals, which were killed and buried. That farm will remain under quarantine for six months before the producer will be allowed to repopulate flocks.

Birds at the larger facilities have all been composted, a method widely used throughout the poultry industry. Heat from the composting kills the flu virus and other pathogens often found in poultry such as salmonella. The compost is considered safe to use as fertilizer.

Full text: http://tinyurl.com/o8hu2c4  

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3. W.Va. seeks to limit chronic wasting disease among deer

Associated Press

The ntermountain.com

July 21, 2015

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources is taking steps to limit the spread of chronic wasting disease among the state's deer population.

The division says it has broadened Eastern Panhandle restrictions on the baiting and artificial feeding of deer. Effective this month, the restrictions were extended to the following counties: Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral and Morgan.

Division biologists say supplemental feeding and baiting of deer increases the chance of disease transmission of chronic wasting disease.

Chronic wasting disease affects the brains and nervous systems of deer and elk. There is no evidence to suggest that it poses a risk to humans or domestic animals.

The disease has been detected in 170 deer in Hampshire County and four in Hardy County.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/ou3qapb  

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4. New livestock tagging facility approved in Maryland

By Diego Flammini

Farms.com

July 21, 2015

Hagerstown's Four States Live Stock Sale has been approved as an official tagging facility by the Maryland Department of Agriculture, allowing the auctions to apply official identification to the livestock. A practice that the USDA's Animal Disease Traceability Rule deems necessary.

The tagging practices are designed to be able to identify any animals quickly should an outbreak occur, and to release healthy animals from outbreak investigation. The rules apply to all animals except feeder beef breeds (feeder beef breeds could be included in the future.) Animals moved interstate to another approved tagging facility are exempted from the tagging requirements as long as they're identified upon arrival.

Certified tagging sites can also accept animals arriving from other states without a veterinary inspection. Tagging facilities can charge for services, but Four States currently offers the service free of charge.

Other tagging facilities in Maryland include the Westminster Livestock Auction in Carroll County and the Grantsville and Friends Livestock Auctions in Garrett County.

Full text:

http://www.farms.com/ag-industry-news/new-livestock-tagging-facility-approved-in-maryland-730.aspx  

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5. New Kentucky Database Lists Lost, Abandoned Horses

By Edited Press Release

TheHorse.com

July 22, 2015

Kentuckians whose horses have gone missing can now search for them online using a new database created by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

The state veterinarian's office has launched the "Stray or Abandoned Equine Database" where people can browse listings of horses that have been found and are being kept and cared for until their owners can claim them.

"Stray and abandoned horses are a serious problem in parts of Kentucky," Agriculture Commissioner James Comer said. "This database will help owners of missing horses to find them and bring them home. The law that requires us to maintain the database also streamlines the process of managing stray and abandoned horses and helps counties reduce their costs."

A new state law requires counties to contract with licensed veterinarians to document a lost or abandoned horse's features and identifying characteristics and enter the information into the database. The entry includes two pictures of the horse-one from the front and one from the side. A person who claims a stray or abandoned horse is required to reimburse the county for the cost of the veterinarian's examination and to reimburse the person who holds the horse-referred to in the law as the "taker-up"-for the costs of holding and caring for the animal.

Full text:

http://www.thehorse.com/articles/36137/new-kentucky-database-lists-lost-abandoned-horses  

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6. Key to bats' health to be researched in Minnesota

Jon Collins

MPRNews.org

July 21, 2015

Scientists across Minnesota are working this summer to learn more about bats in hopes that they can help the species better prepare for a fungus called white-nose syndrome, which has decimated bat populations in other parts of the country.

Researchers actually know very little about the lives of bats, state DNR endangered species coordinator Richard Baker told MPR News host Cathy Wurzer. But recent technological developments have allowed scientists to better track bats.

"We now have transmitters that we can put on these bats, follow them around, and learn more about where they're going, what they're doing," Baker said.

Scientists are focusing on studying young females so they can learn more about how they reproduce and the species' preferred habitats.

Full text:

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/07/21/bats  

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7. Foundation's $10 million gift launches world-class horse hospital at Colorado State University

CSU News & Information

July 21, 2015

FORT COLLINS - A transformative gift of $10 million from the Helen K. and Arthur E. Johnson Foundation is launching plans at Colorado State University to build a state-of-the-art equine hospital that will be among the world's best in teaching veterinary students, promoting discoveries in equine medicine and providing specialty care for horses.

"We deeply appreciate this generous gift from the Johnson Foundation, and greatly value its leadership in supporting health and education across Colorado," CSU President Tony Frank said. "The Foundation has been a dedicated supporter of university programs for more than 20 years, and this gift will provide a monumental step forward for equine veterinary medicine at Colorado State."

The $10 million gift is the lead contribution in establishing the Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Family Equine Hospital. Facilities will total some 180,000 square feet at a projected total cost of $47 million.

Full text:

http://www.news.colostate.edu/Release/7701  

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